Portales fiscal budget gets funding boost

PORTALES — Finance Director Marilyn Rapp informed the Portales City Council of several key changes to the city’s final 2017-2018 budget at its meeting Tuesday night.

The city’s fire fund was increased by $48,505 from the state, raising the final amount to $208,505.

The fire fund’s non-capital equipment budget also increased by $48,505 per Portales Fire Department Chief Gary Nuckols’ request, according to Rapp.

“He likes to have that money budgeted, so he can spend it,” she said.

Another $115,000 was added to the budget for a well-drilling project that was not completed in the previous fiscal year.

“That’s going to come out of beginning cash,” she said.

Thanks to a grant for upgrades to Portales’ dispatch center, revenues and expenditures in the 911 fund were increased by $94,467, according to Rapp.

Another $30,000 in expenditures were budgeted to the street fund to reimburse Roosevelt County for the closure of South Roosevelt Road Q 1/2.

“The entire project was ($67,000), I believe was their estimate. That comes out of the street fund,” she said.

The city’s total cash balance for 2017-2018 will be $16.1 million, according to Rapp.

Also at Tuesday’s Portales City Council meeting:

• Councilors approved several budget adjustments for the 2016-2017 fiscal year.

In her recap of the city’s 2016-2017 budget, Rapp told the council revenues for several funds had increased.

She reported a $59,859 increase in revenue to the airport from hangar fees, use fees, and increased fuel sales.

Because airport expenditures only increased by $49,859, the fund increased by $10,000, she said.

Because of donations to the city’s recreation fund, its revenues were increased by $24,600, according to Rapp. Expenditures would be increased by the same amount because “we kind of wanted to spend those donations,” she said.

The Capital Replacement and Repair Fund — meant to repair items related to the general fund, according to Rapp — received $9,054 to purchase a dump truck through a hardship grant from the state.

• Councilors approved Rapp’s fourth quarter financial report.

Rapp said the city ended the fiscal year with $2.6 million available cash in the general fund.

“We’re in good shape. At the beginning of last year, we thought that we would end the year in the general fund with cash investments available in the reserves of 1.6 (million), so we actually did better than what the budget predicted last year,” she said.

Rapp also reported ending cash balances of $4.9 million in the water fund and $1.6 million in the solid waste fund.

• Councilors approved the ratification of a grant project that would upgrade the city’s 911 services and equipment.

Emergency Management Director Keith Wattenbarger said the $284,467 grant will fund software upgrades and computer equipment related to 911.

“People call in, your maps and your phone information are linked up so we know how to get to you,” he said.

The project will also pay for a generator for Portales Communications Department, a feature that is long overdue, according to Wattenbarger.

“Up until this particular allocation, we were one of only two of the PSAP (public safety answering point) centers in the state that did not have its own backup power, so that’s gonna be corrected through this grant,” he said.

• Councilors approved contracts for two employees for the DWI Grant Program.

Amber McDaniel was approved for one year as a DWI prevention specialist and Ruby Garcia was approved for one year as a grant project coordinator.