Woodstock Approves Fiscal Year 2016 Budget

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The Woodstock City Council on Monday approved its fiscal year 2016 budget, which is an increase of roughly $2 million from the current budget.

The budget for the fiscal year, which runs July 1 to June 30, is $36 million, up from the amended fiscal year 2015 budget of $34.3 million.

Broken down, the budget for each fund includes:

General Fund: $17.6 million
Water/Sewer Fund: $10.1 million
Stormwater Fund: $1.78 million
Special revenue (SPLOST, capital equipment fund, amphitheater fund, impact fees): $6.6 million

Woodstock’s budget is based upon the city planning to roll back its millage rate from 7.250 to 6.823, a figure that’s deemed revenue neutral. The city will make a formal determination of its tax rate later this summer.

The budget funds a two percent mid-year cost of living adjustments for full-time and year-round part-time employees, which will take effect in January 2016; an early retirement program for public safety employees; an education initiative for the police department; an Olde Rope Mill Park connectivity plan; Dupree Park trail connection; an Americans With Disabilities Act accessible fishing pier, restrooms and pond boardwalk at Dupree Park; design work for the proposed expansion for the William G. Long Senior Center; design work for the third fire station in the Ridgewalk area; equipment for a new ladder truck for the Fire Department; improvements to the Woofstock Park driveway; solar lighting at parks and trails; a new bus for the Senior Center; and six new police cars and associated equipment.

The City Council also approved Ward 2 Councilman Chris Casdia’s appointment of Kim Sellers to the Downtown Development Authority and a resolution for Cherokee County to conduct the city’s municipal election in November.

The municipal election will be held Nov. 3 for Casdia and fellow incumbents Liz Baxter of Ward 4 and Rob Usher of Ward 6, whose terms expire Dec. 31.

Qualifying for the three seats starts at 8:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 31 and ends at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2. Qualifyting will take place in the office of Woodstock’s city clerk, which is at the Woodstock City Annex at 12453 Highway 92.

The qualifying fee is $270.

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Image via Shutterstock