The city of Southgate will hire its first city administrator this fall.
The position was one of four new positions included in the city’s budget for fiscal year 2025-2026. City council passed both the budget amendment for 2024-2025 and the budget for the coming fiscal year at a special meeting held Monday.
The position will be part-time and addresses a need for more support for city services.
“We’re becoming no longer the little city that we were, because we’re growing, but we’re trying to retain the small city feel,” said Mayor Jim Hamberg. “This person would pick up much of the day-to-day operations by meeting and working with South Bank, the ADD [Northern Kentucky Area Development District], etc., while looking for grants, applying for them, and attending meetings of local groups when the mayor is not available.”
He added that the administrator could also meet with federal and state agencies to determine availability for grants, such as FEMA grants to address damage from storms or for special projects, like funding for new equipment. They would work with developers working on projects within the city and with department heads to help meet their needs.
The city administrator’s work would, in large part, be helping to implement the upcoming city vision plan priorities. Having a city administrator on board will also ensure consistency with any change in the mayor’s or council’s positions, the mayor said.
Southgate will also hire a new full-time police officer and a part-time police records clerk. The city will also add another full-time member to its public works staff.
The plan is to initiate the hiring process this fall, with the goal of filling the positions in October 2025.
More budget highlights
The city included funds for improvements in the new city park at Willow and Evergreen that replaced the old tennis courts. The projects will start with a new irrigation system. Mayor Hamberg said they expect to begin with planting foliage after that, a project that will likely go into the next fiscal year.
Money is set aside for the repavement of two city streets in the Valley View and Blossom Lane street project. Water main replacement must happen first, however, and that is not expected to be completed until next May.
The city is also planning to lease a city vehicle for staff, and especially for the code enforcement officers. The vehicle would not be taken home and would be available for staff to use for meetings and other duties related to their jobs.
The mayor also stated that the city anticipates receiving new income in future years from payroll taxes after the new assisted living/memory care facility in the Memorial Pointe project is operational. Construction is scheduled to begin this summer, but won’t be completed for 18 to 24 months.
The budget numbers
The full budget will be available on the city’s website soon. In summary, the city expects revenues totaling $6,965,941. This figure includes estimated city revenue from the general fund, municipal road aid and from the Southgate Community Center, totaling $4,798,641.
The rest comes from the fund balance forwarded ($ 1,745,587), forwarded road aid ($ 148,582), community center income ($6,213), and a special projects fund ($266,918).
Anticipated expenses are $5,120,345. This total includes salaries and benefits, city department needs and city services, as well as the administrative costs, car lease, new positions, and the parks, streets and garage projects.
This will leave an estimated fund balance going forward of $1,845,595.