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NEGAUNEE -- The Negaunee City Council is finalizing its fiscal year 2024 budget.
During a special meeting on Thursday, councilors made changes from the last budget workshop to finalize what they would like to see in the 2024 budget.
Although the workshops help determine what the budget is going to look like, the council will still need to go through the bidding process and approve every single purchase.
City Manager Nate Heffron said the council is still trying to determine what funds are leftover for the Downtown Enhancement Project, otherwise known as the Streetscape Project.
The council made changes to the Irontown Electrical Substation Project to include a $1.4 million increase.
Larger projects for the fiscal year 2024 budget include finishing LaCombe Field sidewalk improvements, construction of the Neganee Old Town playground, finishing the Irontown Electrical Substation and Downtown Enhancement Project.
"Many of the projects we have right now have some sort of grant tied to them," Heffron said. "Not all, but several."
Some proposed equipment purchases for 2024 include a new SnowGo snowblower that will attach to a new frontend loader and a new plow truck. Other items found in the budget include a proposed street project for the Main Street overlay, redoing the Negaunee Public Library carpet and the City Hall entrance and Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramp.
"Every year we approve a new capital plan just to keep up with everything we are doing," Heffron said. "Generally the plan is to match the numbers internally to the budget."
The overall five-year capital plan provides a direction of set long-term plans of what the city wants to have occur.
"The idea is that in five years you'd have everything purchased on that list of what you want to have in the city, with room to adjust if new grants of funding falls through," Heffron said.
Residents will also see a nominal fee increase for utility rates during the 2024 fiscal year.
"The city, as usual, will be sending out an update and flyer with the information with what those utility rates will be changed to," Heffron said.
He said the rates are being changed to "keep up with costs." The city has not raised water rates since 2019 or sewer rates.
Last year, residents saw a slight increase to electric rates, going from .1405 to .1554 cents per kilowatt hour.
"The city council for the past six years have made incredible investments in our community and this is all based off the need for investment and the desires of the residents of our community," Heffron said.
Councilors will finalize the 2024 budget at the next regular city council meeting on Thursday, Nov. 9, at 6:30 p.m. at the Negaunee Senior Center.
To view the proposed 2024 budget, visit cityofnegaunee.com/city-manager/pages/2024-budget.
Dreyma Beronja can be reached at 906-228-2500 ext. 548. Their email address is dberonj@miningjournal.net.