Record $74.1M Yukon city budget approved

Street upgrades, new vehicles, employee pay hike among highlights

June 23, 2023

750

Yukon City Budget Prep — Yukon City Manager Tammy Kretchmar (left) and Assistant City Manager Mitchell Hort (second from left) join City of Yukon department directors presenting their fiscal year 2023-24 budget proposals to the Yukon City Council during a special study session May 9 inside the Yukon Police Department community room, 100 S Ranchwood. The budget discussion meeting lasted 3-1/2 hours. (Photo by Conrad Dudderar)

By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer

Street upgrades, new vehicles and employee pay hikes highlight a record-high $74.1 million City of Yukon budget that takes effect July 1.

The Yukon City Council, at its June 6^th meeting, voted 5-0 to approve the fiscal year 2023-24 budget.

That came after a 3-1/2-hour budget workshop with department directors and two public hearings soliciting citizen input.

The general fund portion of Yukon’s annual city budget covers $33,725,748 million for 19 departments.

The five largest are Police ($8.7M), Fire ($5.9M), Street ($3.8M), Parks & Recreation ($2.3M), and Technology ($1.65M).

Personnel services comprise about 83% of the general fund total.

The other $40-plus million in the FY23-24 budget include 13 fund accounts.

They are topped by the Sales Tax Capital Improvement Program ($12.4M), Water/Sewer Enterprise ($10.4M), Yukon Public Employees Sales Tax ($5.3M), American Rescue Plan Act ($4.8M), and Sanitation Services ($2.3M).

Yukon City Manager Tammy Kretchmar mentioned adjustments made for projects added to the FY23-24 budget after the council’s May 9^th budget session:

Phase one of the installation of new sidewalks along Cornwell between N.W. 10th and Main Street.
Intersection improvements at the Yukon Parkway/Vandament Avenue intersection.
Building updates and repairs to the Yukon Community Center and Yukon Fire Station.

The facility renovations will be possible after city administrators decided to use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for a drainage project on Health Center Parkway.

AND WHAT’S MORE …

Among other City of Yukon budget highlights that Kretchmar listed are:

Wagner Road resurfacing from Yukon Parkway to Sara Road (using bond funds).
New traffic signal at N.W. 10^th and Shedeck Parkway.
Garth Brooks Boulevard overlay from Vandament to Main Street (using federal stimulus funds).
New trail/wide sidewalks on the west side of Yukon Parkway from Ranchwood to the Stone Mill Plaza shopping center (using federal grant funds).
New trail/wide sidewalks on the west side Garth Brooks Boulevard between Health Center Parkway and Andrew Drive (using federal grant funds).
Street re-striping, new street signs and markers.
Water/sewer line improvements and street drainage upgrades (using federal stimulus funds).
Hiring three additional police officers.
A utility rate study request for proposals.
New vehicle/equipment purchases: Five police Tahoes, fire engine, boom truck, thermal imaging cameras, police and fire equipment, and various tools for all departments.
Outdoor warning (storm) siren upgrades.
New sanitation poly carts and dumpsters.
Interior repairs and updates at the library and recreation facilities.

“There is only so much money,” Yukon Mayor Shelli Selby said. “We would love to do everything.

“But when you take from a new project, you have to take from another project.”

The City of Yukon’s staff members are getting cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) raises through the new budget:

5% – employees making below $60,000.
4% – employees making between $60,001-$99,999.
3% – employees making $100,000 and above.

The city’s general employees had not received a COLA adjustment since a 5% across-the-board increase at the end of FY20. They did receive a 3% stipend for FY19 and FY23.

Yukon has 245 full-time and 40 part-time city employees.