By James Coulter
Resurfaced city streets, a renovated city airport and cemetery, and an overall emphasis on pushing forward the Lake Wales Connected Plan are all major projects within next year’s city budget, which received its final approval from city commissioners.
At their meeting on Tue. Sept. 17, Lake Wales City commissioners voted unanimously to pass next year’s city budget, millage rate, and five-year capital improvement plan during their second reading.
The budget will have a total of $107,822,344 in all funds, and will have a millage rate of 7.0462 mills which is the current year rolled-back rate.
Next year’s budget will see an expected increase of $2,912,842 in general fund revenue. This increase is due to a $209,537 increase in ad valorem (property) taxes, a $581,000 increase in sales and use taxes, and a $600,000 increase in licenses and permits.
Meanwhile, the general fund operating expenditures are projected to be $22,807,877, which is $2,152,788 more than what was budgeted in this year’s budget at $20,655,089. This increase is due to a $117,381 increase in general government services and a $1,270,893 increase in public safety, which includes police ($745,899), fire ($192,550), and code enforcement ($31,085).
A major focus of next year’s budget will go towards implementing the city’s award-winning Lake Wales Connected plan, with city projects that will emphasize “affordable housing construction, housing rehabilitation, development incentives, and capital construction.”
One major aspect of Lake Wales Connected will be the Park Avenue & Market Plaza Streetscape Construction, which will help renovate the city’s historic downtown core with improvements including a two-way curbless street, enlarged sidewalks, enhanced lighting, and additional landscaping and streetscaping.
Other significant projects within next year’s city budget include:
• $750,000 for resurfacing city streets.
• $896,593 for the rehabilitation of T Hangar and Taxi Lane B at the city’s airport.
• The engineering design of Phase 2 of the Lake Wales Memorial Gardens cemetery expansion.
• $200,000 allocated toward road rehabilitation in the Lake Wales Cemetery.
City Commissioners expressed their relief at finally being able to pass next year’s budget. Mayor Jack Hilligoss commented that it felt as though they have been “discussing this [budget] forever.”
Commissioner Robin Gibson rebuffed many criticisms the commission had received about “rubber stamping” agenda items, arguing that he and his fellow commissioners have “discussed all of this thoroughly in workshops.
