Review of city budget accounting set for Monday, vote on new fees to support police, parks due Tuesday
By Morgan Rothborne, Ashland.news
Ashland City Council will hear presentations on its upcoming biennium budget process and potential changes to the city’s enhanced law enforcement area (ELEA) while also voting on fees to support public safety and city parks during a pair of public meetings.
The Tuesday business meeting will include a presentation from Police Chief Tighe O’Meara on potential changes to the city’s ELEA’s expulsion process, according to an agenda item.
A resolution to approve increased fees on customer utilities bills supporting wildfire mitigation and city parks will be up for a vote by council, according to an agenda item. Council reached mixed verbal agreement on the fee changes at the March 31 study session, as previously reported by Ashland.news.
In other council business Tuesday, Community Development Block Grant Funds — supplied to the city from the Department of Housing and Urban Development — could be used to address renovations at the 2200 Ashland St. property, according to the agenda item. The city is required to create a five-year plan for the use of these funds, according to an additional agenda item.
Council will vote on the second reading of an ordinance altering city code to provide an additional charge for types of reckless burning that do not meet existing state statutes, also brought forward by O’Meara, according to the agenda item.
Council will aso vote on the second reading of an ordinance to annex property for a housing development on Clay Street and hear a presentation on use of Transient Occupancy Lodging Taxes to support tourism to Ashland.
Monday’s Ashland City Council study session will feature a presentation from Finance Director Mariane Berry on frequently asked questions surrounding the city budget, such as how the city’s equipment replacement plan works, internal revenue funds including franchise fees and the food and beverage tax, according to the agenda item.
“We will drill down into the General Fund and explore its various revenue streams. We will answer some questions across all funds that have been compiled over time, as well as those that have been received recently,” the agenda item said.
Berry will also present an update on the city’s utility assistance program in response to a request from council to restructure and attempt to expand access to the program, according to the agenda item.
The meetings will be held in the Ashland City Council chamber, 1175 E. Main St. The study session begins at 5:30 p.m. Monday, while the business meeting begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Both meetings can be attended in person or watched remotely through Channel 9 or Channels 180 and 181 (Charter Communications) or live streamed via rvtv.sou.edu select RVTV Prime.
Public testimony will be accepted and can be delivered either via Zoom, in person, or as written comment. To sign up for public comment, fill out the public testimony form.
Email Ashland.news reporter Morgan Rothborne at [email protected].
