Mayor Denis Shortal's proposed City of Dunwoody 2020 Budget

Proposed 2020 Budget with Budget Committee scheduled for Sept 9th, 9 am

We (Mayor Denis Shortal & City Manager Eric Linton) respectfully submit the following Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Budget and Budget Message, constructed in accordance with Section 5.03(a) of the City of Dunwoody City Charter, and presented for review, examination and consideration by all residents and members of City Council. The adoption of an annual budget is one of the most important actions taken by the City Council each year. Through strategic and careful funding allocation of resources, the proposed FY 2020 Budget is a balanced financial plan which equalizes anticipated revenues with proposed expenditures. Based on principles of cautious and fiscally pragmatic planning, the City proposes an unchanged millage rate of 2.740 mills to uphold and improve safety, infrastructure and quality of life for all citizens.

The FY 2020 Budget couples prioritized infrastructure investments with achievable growth initiatives and strategic service delivery. The City anticipates continued successful administration of finances to accurately balance requests along with requirements and promote the community-driven aspirations of responsible, dynamic, and achievable progress. This fiscally conservative approach to annual budgeting positions Dunwoody to optimally manage revenue growth, while leveraging assets and opportunities to best serve the interests of our citizens.

FY 2020 Highlights The primary emphasis of the FY 2020 Budget remains consistent with past strategy, concentrating on fundamental infrastructure improvements, paving and parks and is a direct response to community-identified needs and requests. The City has created a FY 2020 Budget list of key expenditures and improvements which focus on taking care of critical community assets and safety essentials as a means of delivering for the future. This commitment can be found within the following overview of project and initiative disbursements:

The FY 2020 Budget maintains the City’s original 2.74 millage rate. Dunwoody has the lowest overall tax rate of DeKalb County cities and is lower than unincorporated DeKalb. The City intends to monitor the tax rate in future years to hold position as the best value in DeKalb County while ensuring the City has adequate reserves and the ability to invest in infrastructure needs.

Based on the policy set forth by City Council, the city maintains a fund balance projected to be at a level sufficient to provide a baseline four (4) month reserve balance and up to a stipulated maximum of a six-month reserve. Council will be presented a budget amendment in October 2019 for FY 2019 in conjunction with the FY 2020 budget approval.

The FY 2020 Budget totals approximately $39.5 million in revenues for all appropriated funds which excludes approximately $2.6 million of interfund activity.

This list of key expenditures for 2020, while not a comprehensive catalog of all enhancement requests, highlights a fiscally conservative approach to funding allocation. The city remains focused on sustaining public safety levels, improving infrastructure, and promoting smart community development to improve the quality of life for all of Dunwoody’s residents, businesses, and visitors.

• Parks and Recreation: As Dunwoody develops into a mature city, parks services are expanding and this budget reflects that being a priority of the community with additional programmatic staff.

• Installation of football field lights at Peachtree Charter Middle School. ($125,000)

• Enhancing service levels for new park facilities and expansions (ball fields, restrooms, etc.). ($413,010)

• Expanding staffing to program park opportunities for citizens, including one park operations coordinator and one part-time recreation programs leader. ($142,924)

• Police: Public safety is a core service of the City. With that in mind, this budget continues dedicating over 36% of General Fund resources to the Police Department.

• Fully funding two additional sworn officers for the entire year. Previously, the department was allowed to overhire by two positions provided there were savings available internally. ($109,000)

• Replacing various public safety computer equipment and vehicles through SPLOST. ($494,319)

• Maintaining compensation for public safety officers by proving up to 3.1% pay increases. With 77 of 98 city employees being in the police department, over $137,135 of funding for additional compensation in FY 2020, along with an additional $48,261 for employees in other
departments.

• Public Works: The City is leveraging the sales tax (SPLOST) approved by its citizens to focus on road improvements and transportation.

• 2020 Resurfacing. ($3,180,681 to come from SPLOST and an additional $487,045 from state funds for a total of $3,667,726)

• Improve the Chamblee Dunwoody at Spalding Drive Intersection. ($1,400,000)

• Install Peeler Road Sidewalk from Equestrian Way to Brook Run Park. ($1,000,000); North Shallowford Sidewalk at Peeler Road. ($150,000); Mt Vernon Place Sidewalks-Mt Vernon Road to Falkirk. ($50,000)

• Fund preliminary work on Westside Connector. ($100,000)

• Improve Mt Vernon Road Corridor from Corners Drive to Mt Vernon Place. ($100,000)

• Build Winters Chapel Multiuse Path - Dunwoody Club to Charmant. ($100,000)

• Install various traffic calming devices throughout the city. ($25,000)

• Finance & Admin (Finance, Facilities, Accounting, Revenue, Purchasing, HR, Marketing, Information Technology): These departments are support agencies for the front-facing departments

• Replace storage area network ($95,000) and upgrade firewall ($72,000).

• Perform a salary survey of existing positions ($25,000).