City budget workshop July 9

Lake Wales city commissioners Tuesday, July 9 will hold their second budget workshop to discuss spending priorities for the 2019-20 year, which begins Oct. 1. The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at the city administrative building, 201 W. Central Ave.

City staff will present a draft $44.6 million operating budget for 2019-20 and a capital improvement plan that projects $73.2 million in expenditures over the next five years. The draft capital improvement plan includes about $17.2 million in proposed projects for 2019-20.

The proposed budget includes 7.5 new positions, including a $63,345 public information officer who would report to the city manager. Other new positions are mostly clerical or support positions, including an accounts payable clerk for finance, part-time office assistant for CRA, a custodian, maintenance worker, turf management specialist, receptionist and part-time administrative assistant, office assistant and museum assistant.

The budget is based on the same tax millage rate as last year - $7.04 for each $1,000 of taxable property value – but commissioners have expressed an interest in lowering that rate. Public hearings will be held Sept. 10 and Sept. 24 with final budget adoption at that second meeting.