October 25 — Sumner jumps into budget season

Sumner City Council begins discussion of 2008 budget, reflects on 2007 successes

Roxanne Cooke / of the Herald

As the Sumner City Council launched into budget season at this week’s study session, city administrators reminded the council of its 2007 accomplishments.

Among those successes was an attempt to purchase Lake Tapps jointly with Auburn and Bonney Lake, said Deputy City Administrator Diane Supler.

“It was a good learning experience,” she said.

The sidewalk program, which began this summer, was also named as an accomplishment.

“The program is doing really well,” Supler said.

In terms of long-range financial stability, Sumner is on track, she said. The start of the annexation into Fire District No. 22 is going smoothly, for example, and the city’s new online utility payment service is being used by 75 percent of the community.

City Administrator John Doan discussed the ways that Sumner has enhanced community character, including the city coloring book, Relay For Life fundraising and other community education events such as National Night Out.

Both Supler and Doan then jumped into the preliminary budget for 2008.

The 2008 preliminary budget is set for $57.4 million, with a 3.3 percent increase in city staff salaries and a 3.5 percent increase in utilities.

“We built this budget around sustainability,” said Sumner Mayor Dave Enslow.

Goals for 2008 include tools that the council discussed at a retreat this summer. After learning the city could face a $7.35 million deficit if its finances continued the way they are currently, council and administration brainstormed ways to fix it.

The result of their discussion includes increasing revenue sources, taxes and fees and improving the city’s efficiency. No changes in the city’s level of service were recommended.

Sumner can increase revenue in 2008 by studying annexation to the east and west and recruiting more retail, Doan said. It can increase taxes and fees with the recommended 1 percent increase in property taxes and developing an e-mail system for sending utility bills.

“I don’t think any stone was left unturned,” said councilman Matt Richardson of the preliminary budget and its goals.

The city’s budget is a short-term financial plan that allocates funds and resources and sets policy, Doan said. Creating the budget is not an exact science, he added.

The council also met Wednesday to discuss the general fund, for which $14.5 million has been suggested, and will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday in the council chambers to talk about other funds, revenues and expenses.

The 2008 budget should be completed by mid to late November.