Trending
As the Williamsport City Council prepares to discuss a 2024 proposed budget with a 1 mill tax hike included, council looked at the shape of recreational facilities and programs for the upcoming winter, spring and summer and fall.
Sean Walker, department director, noted during a recent budget work session that the department budget is up 0.57 % due to a 3 % salary increase proposed for all at-will employees, plus part-time employees at $10.75 per hour and other employee expenses.
The department has budgeted for purchase of a copier, he said.
Under the recreation programs, the city is up 3.7 % due to capital projects, equipment purchases and the roof at Bowman Field, he said.
Overall, it was anticipated the city will budget less repairs because of the recently led equipment, resurfaced baseball, pickleball and tennis courts and equipment such as netting, which is in stock.
Council President Adam Yoder noted how the city was putting a lot of investment into its park systems and wondered about the maintenance and infrastructure needs in the long run for facilities such as the splash pad at Shaw Place, a splash pad conceived for Newberry Park, baseball fields at Brandon Park and the pool at Memorial Park.
Scott Livermore, general manager for public works, went through each of Yoder's concerns.
He noted how the splash pad at Shaw Park, once it was up to speed and some start-up glitches were resolved, had few maintenance issues. The water for it recycles, he said.
As for Memorial Park pool, the city has to fill it with 360,000 gallons of water and some water evaporates during the seasonal use.
The pool liner stopped a majority of the leaks, Livermore said. Previously, the pool was leaking 1 million gallons of water. The pool has a better durable liner and filter system.
The city obtained a used gutter system that is functional for the pool, with the gutter expert anticipating it would be good for at least six years before repairs or replacement.
As for the two Little League fields at Brandon Park, the city has an agreement with Williamsport Area Little League. The city will mow outside of the ballfields along with the outside of the stadium being built by Lycoming College. Williamsport Little League organization is responsible for the upkeep of the interior fields, Livermore said. The college is investing $2.5 million of its own money in its ballfield.
In reference to the two Brandon Park ballfields, that once they are operable, Yoder said he was hoping to avoid a situation where they would not be maintained and fall into disrepair.
As for the resurfaced playing courts, should there be any cracks observed forming over winter at the resurfaced tennis, basketball and pickleball courts, Mayor Derek Slaughter said these will be quickly addressed with sealant and addressed by the streets and parks crews.
Councilwoman Liz Miele said the city should have a conversation about some maintenance for recreation in either the capital projects budget or general fund. It could be $100,000 or $150,000 a year for equipment upkeep or vandalism, she said.
It seemed reasonable to discuss that investment whether it is talked about this coming year or another, she noted.
Livermore said there is $50,000 set aside in the capital projects line item for the pool filter and liner and $150,000 in capital projects budget line item for the pool gutter. Slaughter said, in response to Miele's input, that funding could be placed into the capital projects budget or as an annual entry in the general fund for long-term recreational maintenance needs.
In the 2024 proposed budget, the administration has included a 1 mill real estate tax increase that Slaughter said would generate about $800,000 and cover the budget deficit which is in that amount. Millage currently is at 16.22 mills, or $1,622 for a household assessed at $100,000. Real estate tax millage in 2019 was 15.47 mills; 15.72 in 2020; 16.22 mills in 2021; and 16.22 mills in 2022.
The council looks at the first reading of the proposed 2024 budget at 7 p.m. on Thursday.