At its May meeting, Fort Thomas city council held the first reading of the city’s 2024-2025 fiscal year budget. Finance committee chair Ben Pendery shared some highlights. The bottom line is that the city’s tax rates will not change in the coming fiscal year.
General fund revenues for the city are expected to exceed expenditures in the fiscal year 24-25 by $67,227, according to Pendery.
“So what that means for all of us is that we’re running a very tight budget, and it’s something we should be proud of,” he said.
The projected general fund operating revenue total for the upcoming fiscal year is $16,033,274, a 6% increase from the previous year. Pendery said this increase is due to several factors, including business tax licenses and insurance premiums. However, tax rates will not increase, which he said the city worked hard to maintain.
Pendery attributed this to careful spending and an increase in revenues.
“It’s just a matter of, for lack of a better term, more activity in the business market,” he said.
The city’s expenses totaled $14,764,867, a 5.5% increase over last year, which Pendery said can largely be attributed to wage increases and health insurance costs.
He noted that also in the budget is a pass-through funding for the Fort Thomas Independent Schools’ sports complex project.
The state has awarded the school district $5 million for its project, to be distributed at $2.5 million a year for two years. That money will be awarded and passed through the city’s budget to the schools. The $2.5 million is listed in the city’s budget but does not have a financial impact on the city.
Pendery outlined some of the budget requests and plans for each of the city departments. He included the following:
Police department — $60,000 for the Axon Taser lease for updated Tasers and body cameras, $4,100 for the less-lethal launcher, $17,600 to update Glock duty pistols and $200,000 for three new patrol vehicles.
Fire department — $1.5 million for an aerial truck expected to be delivered this year and $300,000 for an ambulance that will be ordered this year.
Recreation department — $45,000 in game room improvements (equipment and flooring), $36,000 for Mess Hall windows and tables. For parks, the $500,000 budgeted for the pickleball courts in Highland Park, $130,000 for the General Thomas statue at Tower Park, $300,000 for the Carlisle Park stormwater plan, $50,000 for the Mayfield parking lot and turnaround, $30,000 for the installation of the Skop statue (a statue of early settlers acquired from NKU), $150,000 tennis court upgrade (pavement and fencing) and $260,000 for the Tower Park sports complex.
Public works department — $270,000 for three vehicles, including a two-and-a-half-ton dump truck with a snowplow, and $40,000 for holiday lighting.
“So, those are my high points,” Pendery said. “And again, I just really appreciate the process and everyone involved…I think almost the entire council attended our finance committee meeting, which is unheard of in my time, and we had great input from the community as well.”
The Fort Thomas Finance Committee includes Pendery and council members Jeff Bezold, Andy Ellison and Eric Strange. The second reading of the upcoming fiscal year budget is expected to happen at the next council meeting planned for Monday, June 3, at the city building, 130 North Fort Thomas Avenue in Fort Thomas.