Grafton OKs no tax increase for village Money used from fund balance By Melanie Boyung News Graphic Staff Grafton — The village of Grafton’s public hearing on the 2014 budget drew only three members of the public last week, as the board had its last open discussion on the matter before reaching a final decision Monday night. The board voted 5-1 to approve the 2014 budget which includes a flat tax rate for residents, under which the mill rate will remain at $6.65 per $1,000 of assessed property value. Trustee Susan Meinecke cast the lone dissenting vote. Trustee Lisa Harbeck was absent. According to the budget prepared by village administrator Darrell Hofland, the 2014 budget of approximately $25.23 million represents a $679,177 increase from the 2013 budget. The 2.62 percent increase will be compensated for by the village using money from the fund balance rather than increasing the tax levy, which totals $7.443,000. Among the budget matters discussed at the public hearing were two large projects – the completion of the utility garage and septic receiving station the village has been working on for the past year and a plan for a riverwalk in Veterans Park that is budgeted at $750,000. The garage and septic station were originally budgeted completely in 2013, according to Hofland, but part of the project was brought forward into 2014. The village board also recently voted to increase water and sewer rates within Grafton, increasing the department’s revenue and therefor adding to the budget. “About half of each rate increase, both water and sewer, is a result of the garage and facility,” said Tom Krueger, director of the water utility. The Veterans Park project was placed on the budget in light of what Hofland called “positive DNR feedback,” as the riverwalk project involved river improvements that create eligibility for DNR grants. “Up to 50 percent, it’s possible that we could get funding, more likely than not less than that,” Hofland said. “But the project would probably not proceed without grant funding.” Hofland also pointed out that the estimates the village has received for the work on the Veterans Park project came in lower than $750,000. Other major items on the 2014 budget include: ■ $617,800 for street reconstruction of 1,350 feet of Rose Street from First Avenue to Fifth Avenue ■ $401,740 for street reconstruction of 1,270 feet of Fourth Avenue from Rose Street to Spring Street ■ The replacement of two ambulances at the fire department for $300,000 ■ The purchase of property and construction of a downtown public parking lot for $389,000 ■ The construction of a relief stormwater line in downtown Grafton for $620,000, to allow for the redevelopment of property west of Wisconsin Avenue and south of Beech Street ■ $569,700 for the design and construction of the replacement lift station at Ninth Avenue. (Melanie Boyung can be reached at mboyung@conleynet)
Posted on: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 19:55:44 +0000
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