SCS budget for 2024-25 fiscal year approved in 6-1 vote

ST. CLAIR SHORES — On June 17, the St. Clair Shores City Council approved budget amendments in a 7-0 vote, sanitary sewer rates for the coming year in a 7-0 vote, water rates in a 7-0 vote and the fiscal year 2024-2025 budget in a 6-1 vote.

Councilman John Caron cast the lone vote against the budget. 

In total, the city of St. Clair Shores will have $46,137,915 budgeted in their general fund for the coming year. Other funds are budgeted at a total of $86,018,514. General fund expenditures are budgeted at $45,624,863, and other fund total expenditures are set at $77,421,862.

The budget originally came before the council for approval on June 3, but action was delayed. The city’s millage rate and storm sewer user charges for the coming year were approved with 7-0 votes on June 3.

In an email, St. Clair Shores Finance Director Renae Warnke said there is a $2,485,583 decrease to the fund balance with the latest budget amendments approved on June 17. At the June 17 meeting, $238,546 was added to the fund balance.

“It was discussed at that time that there would be more amendments at the next meeting, and it was felt they should all be presented at the same time,” correspondence in the agenda packet states. “The General Fund revenue accounts were reviewed and an extra $500,000 of revenue was included that will offset the General Fund Expenditure Budget Amendments that are being presented for approval.”

According to items attached to the meeting’s agenda, city sanitary sewer rates will increase from $69.32 per 1,000 cubic feet of water consumed to $73.60.

“The Readiness to Serve charge will be increased along with the Ordinance Amendment to Water Rates,” the presented documents indicate. “The recommended changes for both water and sewer will increase the bill for the typical user by 3.4%, which is $2.33 per month or $6.99 per quarter.”

The water charges for this year include an increase of 20 cents per 1,000 cubic feet of water consumed, from $62.30 to $62.50, according to the material presented at the meeting and approved by the City Council.

At an April budget meeting, St. Clair Shores Department of Public Works Director Brian Babcock said a cap that limits rate increases by the Great Lakes Water Authority to under 4% each year is expiring in 2025.

“Next year, their rate increases they’re anticipating are going to be like 7.5% for water and 5.5% for sewer,” Babcock said at the meeting.

At the budget hearing, Councilman Dave Rubello said he sympathized with residents who are frustrated over rising water costs.

“We’re paying the same water bills, too, and it’s incredible,” Rubello said. “This is really one of the most frustrating parts of this city council job.”

At the same meeting, Councilman Chris Vitale also said that relief for water bills may have to come at the state level through residents putting pressure on their state legislators.

“That they were under a 10-year agreement not to go above a 4% rate hike, and it sounds like the first year they’re not under that they’re going to hit it out of the park,” Vitale said.

Caron said he did not receive some of the documents about items in the budget at the June 17 meeting and therefore he voted no. He mentioned the increasing costs of the renovations to the police and fire stations. He also said he had not received some of the numbers via email.

Budgeted items for the St. Clair Shores Police Department and the St. Clair Shores Fire Department included a request for 24 additional body cameras, the addition of Flock Safety cameras and the Fire Department’s plans to create their own master plan.

Sgt. Heather Campbell of the St. Clair Shores Police Department said the additional body cameras would make it possible for all on-duty officers to have body cameras at the same time during large events. The department first deployed body cameras in April 2023.

“That will get us up to, pretty much, 60 body cameras,” Campbell said. “That’ll give us a few extra ones because sometimes they do go down. That way, we have backups on hand, but every officer should be able to be equipped with one here in, hopefully, the next year.”