DUNWOODY, Ga. — At its first of two 2024 budget hearings Oct. 16, the Dunwoody City Council reviewed recommendations calling for $33.3 million in operational spending in the coming year.
Budget increases are chiefly targeted for police and parks and recreation.
Expenditures for day-to-day government operations represents a decrease of 11 percent from the current year, owing to an infusion of transfer money this year from the sale of property on Shallowford Road, according to Finance Director Richard Platto. Ignoring that 2023 windfall, the actual operating budget for 2024 represents an increase of 9 percent.
The $33.3 operating budget does not include major capital expenses, like buildings, large-scale roadwork or other one-time, big-ticket items. It also does not include closed-end funds like stormwater and E911.
Taken as a whole, overall spending for all funds is projected at $64.4 million, a decrease of 16 percent from this year.
Down to brass tacks
During a two-day budget review process last month, the Department Review Team Committee met with department heads to comb through base operating requests. Beyond these base budgets, departments submitted some $2.6 million in extra funding requests.
In all $1.4 million was cut from those enhancement requests, including nine additional positions in police – four community service officers, one fleet manager, one sergeant and three vice police officers for the Street Crime/Vice Task Force. The city is awaiting a full-scale evaluation of the Police Department from consulting firm BarryDunn which is set for council discussion Oct. 30.
“Once we get to see the total picture of the BarryDunn, we can evaluate all the options,” Platto said, adding that the council may want to re-visit the police requests mid-year after additional funding sources can be identified.
The committee did accept close to $1.1 million in extra funding requests, primarily for Parks and Recreation. The funding will go toward a full-time recreation leader and a full-time operations associate as well as a cost increase associated with the grounds maintenance contract.
While the city maintains a healthy reserve, Platto said the city must keep close watch over revenues, especially in the midst of economic uncertainty and the challenges in commercial real estate which constitute 73 percent of Dunwoody’s property tax base.
All revenues and expenditures will be revisited at a mid-year review of the budget, in spring 2024. If costs continue to outpace the city’s revenue, the city won’t be able to afford expanding local government to their liking.
The budget also assumes revenue from renewal of the special purpose local action sales tax which helps fund major capital projects like roadways, public safety and other services. Voters will decide Nov. 7 whether to extend the tax another six years.
Another revenue source the city has enjoyed has been nearly cut in half for 2024. Dunwoody anticipates $5.2 million in American Rescue Plan funding.
Deputy Chief Mike Carlson speaks to the Dunwoody City Council Oct. 16 about the funding requests made by the Police Department for the proposed fiscal year 2024 budget.
Looking on the bright side
On the other hand, revenues from the city’s hotel/motel tax continue to climb, and officials expect revenues of $5 million in 2024, up 26 percent.
During the public hearing, one resident, Bob Hickey, who is member of the No Bond Committee, took issue with the budget prioritizing greenspace over police.
“Which is more important in your mind? Our safety or maintenance of greenspace?” Hickey asked. “How can we say we want to give the parks department almost as much money as we give the police department? That makes no sense to me.”
City Councilwoman Stacey Harris responded, saying, “We felt it was not appropriate to include in the budget. We have three open positions [and] those are already budgeted, so we feel that gave us a little leeway.”
Funding for the police department and additional officers will be addressed after the BarryDunn study is completed, Harris said.
City Manager Eric Linton described Police Chief Billy Grogan as “very happy with his department, the way it’s operating and its performance.”
If the city is faced with doing more with less, either the budgeting process or the city’s revenue streams must be adjusted.
City councilmembers Tom Lambert and John Henegan have some disagreements over the general obligation bond’s effect on the budget.
If the bond referendum passes Nov. 7, Dunwoody would begin work on capital improvements in two areas: parks and greenspace, as well as trails, which could possibly free up money in the budget for the Police Department.
The second public hearing on the proposed 2024 budget will be Oct. 30.
A copy of the proposed 2024 budget can be found on the city’s website: https://www.dunwoodyga.gov under the “Government” tab.
