Cape water, trash rates may rise in proposed budget

With the arrival of summer comes the end of the fiscal year for the city of Cape Girardeau -- with the possibility of future water and trash rate increases to residents.

The final day is June 30, meaning the city must hold a public hearing and the first vote to approve the budget for the next fiscal year at its first meeting in June.

Last year, for the 2014-2015 fiscal year, the city approved a budget of about $71 million, which was nearly the same amount as the previous year's budget. For the 2015-2016 fiscal year, the city is looking at a proposed budget of nearly $79.4 million -- an 11.64 percent increase from 2014.

Incorporated into the budget is the suggestions of a pay study completed earlier this year. The changes affected about 160 employees with an annual total cost, including benefits, of $505,000. Also accounted for in the budget is 1.7 percent wage increase for all city employees at a total cost of $330,000.

The recommended budget for the coming fiscal year reflects the addition of a few city staff members, particularly in public safety.

A code inspector was added at a total cost of $48,226 to enforce the city's minimum property standards for properties under the city's residential rental program. The city has two building code inspectors and one inspector for the city's residential rental program and property maintenance. The addition would bring the total of code inspectors up to four.

Three jailers and two police officer positions were added. Total personnel costs associated with the positions are $116,105 and $105,974, respectively. Police Chief Wes Blair has told the council adding jailers to the force is one of his top priorities.

The city has three jail staff members, which is not enough to keep an employee at the jail 24 hours a day, he said.

"That's an incredible liability," he told the council at its May 12 special study session.

Because the city does not have nighttime jailers, officers are asked to do a walk-through the facility and check on prisoners. But if it's a busy night and officers are on the street, it's difficult for them to find time for that check-in, Blair said. He believes the addition of three jailers would build up enough staff to keep the jail monitored day and night.

The new budget also comes with an increase to water and trash rates.

The proposed 2015-2016 budget includes a 3 percent increase to residential and commercial water rates. It's the first water rate increase since 2011, said city staff.

Solid waste rates last were increased in 2013. The monthly residential solid waste charge is proposed to rise from $18.35 to $19.25 -- an increase of 4.9 percent. Base tipping fees at the city's transfer station would increase 5 percent to $57.50 a ton.

Over the past four years, including the proposed increases for 2015-2016, the average residential utility bill will have increased from $73.29 to $75.49 per month, according to the city. That equals an average annual increase of 0.75 percent to the average utility bill.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

401 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.