Newberry Proposes $32.8 Million Budget

NEWBERRY ‒ The Newberry City Commission conducted a series of public hearings setting the tentative millage rate, establishing a tentative budget and setting rates for electric, water, wastewater and solid waste during the Sept. 13 Commission meeting. Commissioners also approved the establishment of a water public service tax to generate revenue for construction of roads in the downtown Newberry area.

Although most of these items were unanimously approved by the Commission, Commissioner Tim Marden voted against the Water Public Service Tax, which would cost residents $1.48 per month, according to Director of Finance and Administration Dallas Lee.

The resolution adopting the tentative ad valorem tax for fiscal year 2021-2022 was set at 5.999 mills. The resolution establishing the tentative budget for the same time period was approved at $32,815,483. “This is the fifth year in a row that the millage rate has remained the same,” said Lee.

One modification to the budget was also approved to set aside $15,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act Funding, which was approved via Consent Agenda earlier in the meeting, to be used toward hiring trainers for elementary schools to establish radKids Children’s Safety Education Programs to enhance kids’ knowledge, critical thinking ability and physical resistance skills.

The American Rescue Plan Act Funding amount for the City of Newberry is anticipated to be a little over $3 million to be paid to the City in two payments. Mayor Jordan Marlowe said members of the City’s Opioid Task Force would address other cities in the county to encourage them to set aside money from this fund for the same program.

Commissioners will again address the budget and millage rate at a public hearing scheduled for 7 p.m., Sept. 27, at City Hall to finalize approval. At the same meeting, ordinances approving revisions to the electric, water wastewater, solid waste and public service taxes will be heard on second and final hearing.

Second reading of Ordinance 2021-36, was also approved. This ordinance provides consent for the City to be included in a non-ad valorem assessment for a Municipal Service Benefit Unit (MSBU), which was created by Alachua County to address solid waste management costs. This item must be reviewed and considered for approval by the City each year. According to Lee, the assessment amount is the same this coming year as it was this current year.

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