City budget may contain flat spending levels

Preliminary budget talks in Kalispell show mostly flat revenue and spending levels for the 2012-13 fiscal year that starts July 1.

The city should be able to find enough money to keep three firefighters on the force after federal grants that have paid their salaries for the last three years run out in September.

At this point, it looks like those positions can be saved by juggling money from the city’s general fund and ambulance charges, said Charles Harball, city attorney and interim city manager.

But if a firefighter or two leaves, the city won’t necessarily fill the position right away.

“We feel fortunate to have 30 firefighters,” Harball said. “We’ll see if we can pay for 30.”

The city also plans to hire an assistant fire chief. That position has been open since Dan Diehl resigned as chief and Dave Dedman filled in as interim fire chief.

Dedman since has been appointed chief.

The assistant chief opening will be advertised internally so firefighters in the Kalispell Fire Department can apply and be considered first.

“If we don’t fill it, then we’ll go outside,” Harball said.

Kalispell’s health insurance rates are projected to increase by about 5 percent. Workers compensation and liability insurance rates are projected to see larger, potentially double-digit increases, Harball said.

As council members look to revisit Kalispell’s approach to funding capital improvements, city departments are being asked to compile lists of assets along with values and replacement schedules.

“Some departments already had that, others never have,” Harball said.

The information is needed before the city can come up with a realistic financial plan.

“We’ll put that all in one piece so when Doug [Russell] gets here he’ll have that in hand. One of his tasks will be to take that information and roll it into a capital reinvestment and funding program,” Harball said.

A vacancy left by the resignation of revolving loan fund manager Wade Elder will remain open until Russell takes over as city manager in June.

“Different managers have different ideas about community development and how much control they want,” Harball said. “That should be something with his fingerprints on it.”

Kalispell is projecting a 2 percent increase in its contribution to the consolidated 911 center.

“It is what it is and we’ll pay that. That will be a big ticket item for all the cities and the county and we may have to eat into our reserves a little for that,” Harball said.

While still early in the process, next year’s budget is shaping up a lot like last year’s.

“All the budgets coming in are level funding, zero-based budgeting with no increases from last year and no cuts either for that matter,” Harball said. “We are healthier than we were over the last couple years.”

Harball said the city will wait to bring a preliminary budget forward until the Kalispell City Council decides what to do about the city airport in May.

The preliminary budget will be introduced in June. A final budget will not be adopted until August, after the state provides figures on taxable values.

Reporter Tom Lotshaw may be reached at 758-4483 or by email at tlotshaw@dailyinterlake.com.