Road Widening, Pocket Parks Proposed In Budget

JOHNS CREEK, GA -- A proposed $56 million budget for fiscal year 2017 would account for new public safety employees, new pocket parks and widening a major thoroughfare.

Mayor Mike Bodker presented the proposed budget during the City Council's July 25 work session.

The proposed spending plan is a 1.81-percent increase over the adopted 2016 budget.

A public hearing on the budget is set for Aug. 15 with continued discussion scheduled for Aug. 29. A second public hearing followed by adoption of the budget is planned for Sept. 19.

In preparing the budgetary blueprint, Bodker focused on addressing six strategic goals, which were developed during the City Council’s work retreat in March: transportation; recreation and parks; economic development; government efficiency; public safety; and sense of community.

These goals form the basis for the budget and provide the framework to "ensure the city’s tax dollars are optimized in a manner to best serve its citizens," the city said.

Building off last year’s introduction of a 10-year financial forecast into the budgeting process, the city has turned the forecast into a dynamic 10-year financial model. This model can be instrumental by allowing decision makers to test various policy and resource allocation decisions by virtue of their long-term effects on the city’s budget.

Among the budget highlights include:

• $400,000 – Widening Kimball Bridge Road
• $600,000 – Operational improvements/right of way acquisition
• $6.025 million – Resurfacing neighborhood streets and main roads
• $1.75 million – Development of Morton Road and State Bridge Road pocket parks
• $150,000 – Economic development implementation – site plan development
• $464,000 – Seven new public safety positions
• $1.747 million – Replacing a Fire Department ladder truck and fire engine
• $700,000 – 12 replacement police vehicles
• $70,000 – Four police automated license plate recognition devices
• $120,000 – Stacked stone benches at key street corners.

View the proposed budget here.

---

Image via Shutterstock