Sunnyside eyes more officers, utility rate hikes

SUNNYSIDE, Wash. -- Utility rates would increase and the city would hire three new police officers under the proposed 2010 budget City Council members saw for the first time Monday night.

Interim City Manager Jim Bridges presented a formal proposed budget to council members at a special workshop.

Council members took no action and hardly discussed the budget beyond a schedule of how to adopt it.

"This is a great start," said Jim Restucci, mayor pro-tem. "I'm not prepared tonight to discuss particulars."

The city's $33.5 million budget includes $11.9 million in the general fund, which pays for everyday services such as police, firefighters and parks.

Council plans to use some of that money to hire eight new workers, including a battalion chief in the fire department and three new police patrol officers. Two of those officers would be paid for with outside federal grants.

Council also plans to stash about $1 million into reserves.

Last year, Council eliminated nine positions, including two patrol officers, to balance a budget they thought was in the red. However, earlier this fall, interim Finance Director Bob Noland announced that Sunnyside has $1.8 million more in its general fund budget than anticipated due to underestimated revenue.

"There's more money in the budget than we previously thought there was," Restucci said. "We may not have had to cut these positions."

The proposed budget also includes some utility rate increases; water rates would increase by 4 percent, sewer rates by 15 percent and garbage rates by 4.5 percent. The preliminary budget did not include how those increases would affect a typical household's monthly bill.

Council members will next discuss 2010's finance at their regular meeting at 6 p.m. Monday. They also will hold special meetings at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 10 and 12, most likely to discuss the budget with department heads.

Council will hold a public hearing on the budget at its regular meeting at 6 p.m Nov. 23 with adoption tentatively scheduled for 6 p.m. Dec. 14. However, cities have until Dec. 31 to pass their budget by state law.

The 2010 preliminary budget is available online at www.ci.sunnyside.wa.us/gov/finance/budget.php.

* Ross Courtney can be reached at 509-930-8798 or rcourtney@yakimaherald.com.

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