Courtesy of Denise Howell,
Manitou Springs city administrator
Fall is upon us, and it has been a busy summer! The city has been focusing on our proposed 2023 Budget, which City Council will vote on at the Nov. 15 (first reading) and Dec. 6 (second reading) meetings.
Before then, we are asking for your feedback at our community budget meeting (see box). There, you can learn about the proposed budget for each department and fund, as well as comment on city allocations. I hope to see you there!
I am pleased to announce that our annual financials are exceptionally healthy, with a budgeted ending unassigned General Fund balance of approximately $5 million-$5.5 million, or around 55 percent of our yearly operating expenditures, plus debt.
To put that into perspective, the Government Finance Officers Association recommends an ending fund balance no lower than 17 percent of operating expenditures!
Keeping a healthy budget was a priority, with the possibility of Colorado Springs voters approving the legalized sale of recreational marijuana, and we will step into 2023 with a great deal of financial flexibility.
Our projected ending fund balance for 2023 should be $6 million to $6.5 million, depending on our expenditures. This is approximately 58 percent of our yearly operating expenditures plus debt, which is, once again, a very healthy fund balance.
The city is also pleased to announce the completion of various improvement projects! Within this last quarter, the MAPS Project and the Serpentine Roundabout Redesign were completed — with only landscaping improvements left to do. Both projects are great improvements to vehicle and pedestrian safety on Manitou’s west end.
We appreciate the patience and understanding of all our residents and business owners while we improve our roadway and utilities infrastructure. It is an important undertaking that must stay current to have modern and maintainable roadways, water lines, sewer lines, gas lines and electrical conduit throughout Manitou Springs.
But budget and roadwork are far from all that city staff has focused on this year. Below are some of the accomplishments of each department through Oct. 1:
- 655 potholes filled;
- 274 fire hydrants flushed;
- 40,905 linear feet of sewer and water preventative maintenance;
- 165 neighborhood services cases;
- 95 neighborhood services inspections;
- 218 property improvement permits;
- eight Planning Commission applications, active and received;
- 577 households signed up for the free Residential Downtown Parking Program;
- 654 Residential Parking permits issued;
- 9,835 parking citations;
- 250 youths participating in city recreation programs;
- 13,025 pool patrons;
- 124 park and recreation work orders;
- 15 trees planted;
- 16,266 utility bills mailed;
- 3,602 invoices paid;
- 216 business licenses issued and/or renewed;
- 32 liquor licenses processed;
- 35 City Council agenda packets prepared;
- 94 press releases;
- 657,596 people reached on Facebook; and
- 3,475 times Manitou Springs has been mentioned in the media.
As you can see, staff remains busy and continues to work hard for Manitou Springs. The city is fortunate to have dedicated, hard-working and customer-focused staffers who care about the community.
On a final note, I want to ensure that all residents are aware of our Energy Efficiency Rebate Program. This initiative, which was only possible through the hard work of our Housing Advisory Board, incentivizes energy-efficient home improvements to your property!
Rebates through your water bill are awarded for the cost of insulation, air sealing, heat pumps, water heaters, high-efficiency toilets, irrigation equipment and more. For more information, please visit: bit.ly/MSRebates.
As always, our doors remain open for anybody who has questions, comments and/or concerns. In addition, every month (except this November!), I host an opportunity to sit down with community members at Adam’s Mountain Café over coffee to discuss whatever comes to mind. Please view our calendar at manitouspringsgov.com to find out future dates for Coffee with the City Administrator!
IF YOU GO
The community budget meeting will start at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26, in the Hagnauer Gallery inside the Manitou Art Center, 513 Manitou Ave. To view the proposed 2023 Budget, visit bit.ly/MS2023Budget.