By: Sarah Wright | Troy Times | Published May 22, 2024
TROY — Troy’s planned $194.5 million city budget for 2024-25 intends to focus on public safety, infrastructure and recreational services.
The proposed budget was introduced at a special City Council meeting April 15 and was unanimously approved by the Troy City Council May 13.
“This budget in particular really is, I think, it’s more of a bread-and-butter budget,” Troy Mayor Ethan Baker said. “It’s not so much aspirational with big ideas and big projects. It’s really about the core services that you expect your local government to provide.”
The budget’s general fund shows a total of $72,426,963, with $12,065,715 for general government, $42,587,899 for public safety, $2,581,424 for public works, $5,131,506 for community development, and $10,049,719 for recreation and culture. In contrast, the budget for 2023-24 totaled at $200.5 million between all funds.
“The 2024-2025 budget is similar to last year’s in that public safety and public infrastructure are two major priorities,” Dylan Clark, assistant to the Troy city manager, said in an email. “That said, a key difference between the fiscal year 2024 budget and this fiscal year 2025 budget is that last year saw a significant influx of federal dollars into the city. Given the special nature of that intergovernmental funding, it is not available again this year, and that is reflected in the budget.”
The funding for public safety is intended to go toward equipment and recruitment efforts, among other areas of interest.
“Our dedication to public safety is reflected with investment in equipment and K-9s, as well as the addition of the police recruitment program,” Clark said in an email. “With this, we are hiring prospective officers and covering the cost of the academy, which will be crucial in filling open positions.”
In terms of infrastructure, there is focus on repairing and replacing roads and sidewalks in different parts of Troy.
Specifically, for summer 2024, Troy residents can expect repavement efforts for Rochester Road, from Sylvan Glen to South Boulevard. During the May 13 meeting, the City Council approved awarding the contract for the Rochester Road project to AJAX Paving Industries Inc. for just under $4 million, as well as accepting permanent easement requests related to the project for public utilities and services, and authorized compensation amounts of $6,500, $10,996 and $9,200. Also in relation to the Rochester Road project, the council approved a purchase agreement for public purposes to property owners in the amount of $101,830.
In terms of recreation, some of the main areas of interest include completing the ice rink and pavilion project at Stine Park, as well as looking into staffing for the new facility, and planning events and activities.
“I’m just reminded that a budget represents values, a budget represents vision, and a budget represents you, the community,” Troy Council member Rebecca Chamberlain-Creanga said. “We have done the community engagement time and time again, and we hear you say, one, public safety. That is of the utmost importance for you as a community, so that is a top priority. Two, we hear you say that our roads, our local streets, our major roads. It’s ‘fix those darn roads,’ and that’s what we’re doing. Three, we heard you, coming out of COVID, is you want more recreation, and we have heard and made real on a longtime vision. A vision that was here long before I was ever on council or lived in Troy, and that was to activate more and more of our civic space and to have this pavilion vision with the Jeanne Stine Park.”
The project amounts for other Troy city services include:
• Capital projects fund, $19,635,444.
• Refuse fund, $6,965,940.
• Library fund, $7,694,204.
• Major road fund, $9,294,129.
• Local road fund, $6,086,513.
• Transit Center, $156,120.
• Forfeiture fund, $803,370.
• Community Development Block Grant fund, $179,662.
• Cemetery fund, $1,284.
• Series 2013 and 2020 DDA EBT fund, $819,607.
• Sanctuary Lake Golf Course fund, $3,138,669.
• Sylvan Glen Golf Course fund, $1,821,500.
• Aquatic Center fund, $831,450.
• Sanitary sewer fund, $17,198,204.
• Water fund, $25,790,715.
• Building operations, $1,723,835.
• Fleet maintenance, $10,611,029.
• Information technology, $2,943,531.
• Unemployment insurance fund, $3,800.
• Worker’s compensation fund, $840,000.
• Compensated absences fund, $5,525,000.
Troy officials said they are interested in improving the library building and parks, and potentially purchasing a new fire engine in the future.
“Limited funding means there is always compromise between projects we want to see completed and what is possible,” Clark said. “We feel that staff and City Council have done a great job of finding that compromise and maximizing available funding.”
For more information, visit troymi.gov.