City of Monroe, LA

The City of Monroe fiscal year 2018-2019 Budget Hearings will begin at 4 pm today in the Monroe City Council Chamber, located at 400 Lea Joyner Memorial Expressway, inside Monroe City Hall. 

Below are a few selected highlights from the proposed budget submitted to the City Council by Mayor Jamie Mayo and the Administration. 

• The proposed FY 2018-19 Operating Budget is $59.6 million. The total of all budgeted General Fund expenditures for the new fiscal year has been decreased by 3.8% below our current 2017-18 fiscal year’s adopted budget. 
• 2018-19 FY Sales tax revenues are projected lower than fiscal year 2017-18; and, are projected to generate $36.2 million in revenues. 
• The final payment of an enterprise zone rebate is budgeted at $417,000. 
• The taxable value of property in the City increased by approximately 4%. The five General Fund property tax millages will generate an estimated $7.6 million in revenues. 
• The MERS pension rate will increase from 24.75% to 26.00% effective July 1, 2018. This unfunded state retirement system mandate was NOT included in the proposed fiscal year 2019 budget. The citywide impact is approximately $200,000. 
• The Forsythe Division under Public Works has been moved to a new division - Parks & Recreation Maintenance - under Community Affairs, budgeted at $1 million. 
• Parks & Recreation plans to do a complete assessment of all community center gym floors and bleachers, and implement a plan to make necessary repairs and replacements. 
• In Public Works, a major focus will be the Water Treatment Plant Expansion and system improvements. In FY 2018-2019, they will move forward with the engineering and design of the water treatment plant expansion and system improvements to include rehabilitation or replacement of several major trunk lines in the water distribution system. This will be in addition to continuing the major maintenance repair projects scheduled for the existing Water Treatment Plant which includes repairs to the filter bays and installation of air scouring units, installation of a sludge rake system in the sedimentation basin, and engineering for the installation of settling plates. 
• The Engineering Department will continue to upgrade the traffic signal controllers with state of the art technology, continue to build and improve the GIS database for mapping and rights of way, and manage capital infrastructure projects for water, sewer, drainage and streets. 
• The Fire Department plans to utilize funds from its capital budget, and funds carried over from its the 2% fire insurance fund to rebuild Station #5, located at the intersection of Breard and Betin streets. Construction is expected to begin mid to late 2018.
• During the 2018-2019 Budget year, the Monroe Police Department will implement the services of a Youth Services Coordinator. This newly created position will serve as coordinating liaison between all police related services involving juveniles and youth services involving the school system(s), the community, and the police department. The Youth Services Coordinator will be assigned to our newly designed youth services division.