The Chowchilla City Council has unanimously passed its City Budget for the next fiscal year.
According to City Administrator Brian Haddix, the balanced budget allocates $38,263,555 over a variety of departments and projects, with the largest portion supporting the city’s enterprise funds, which include its water, sewer, trash pickup, airport, and storm drainage system.
The next largest line item of the budget is the General Fund, of which the majority of the money, 44.2 percent, supports the police department.
“The budget process was guided by community input and the City’s Strategic Plan,” Haddix wrote in a news release.
Starting months ago, the City Council conducted budget workshops and a town hall meeting to hear directly from residents on how they want their money spent. It also collected input though its monthly newsletter, its website and Facebook. These comments were then matched against the goals set in the City’s strategic plan.
“The end product is a budget focused on public safety, economic development, additional recreational activities, strong code enforcement, improvement of city streets, pursuing funding for downtown hardscape, finishing improvements in the water system including new wells and two 750,000 water tanks, and more.”
“This is a balanced budget, said Mayor Dennis Haworth. That is what our citizens expect.
“It also maintains our fiscal reserve of 39 percent of our budget. Such a reserve assures our community that we will hold up our end of the deal, guaranteeing strong public safety and growth in quality of life.”
Over the past few months, Chowchilla has seen robust growth in housing, making it the second-fastest-growing community in the central San Joaquin Valley at 8.57 percent. Additionally, new restaurants, medical facilities and businesses have opened up in the city.
A copy of the budget can be found at the city’s website, www.cityofchowchilla.org, in the lobby of City Hall, and at the Chowchilla Public Library.
The final version of the budget was passed at the June 26 City Council meeting.