Jamestown City Council begins budget process

Jun. 23—The Jamestown City Council reviewed an early preliminary budget that includes a 4% cost-of-living pay increase and a 2.5% step increase for employees at a special budget meeting Wednesday.

The meeting was the first of three special City Council meetings planned on the budget for the upcoming year. City Council members reviewed the budgets of several general fund departments but took no action Tuesday.

Sarah Hellekson, city administrator, said the salary increase was based on estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics that calculated the Consumer Price Index, Midwest Region, at 5% in the past 12 months.

The city of Jamestown gave employees a raise of $1,008 per year in the current budget cycle, Hellekson said.

Hellekson told the City Council that the city's general fund, which includes the larger departments including police, fire and street, was in good financial condition due to CARES Act funding it had received from the federal and state government as part of the economic packages associated with the coronavirus pandemic.

"We are told more funds may be distributed," she said. "We don't know how much or when so it is not included in the budget projects today."

Hellekson said the Jamestown police and fire departments are two of the city's largest expenses and employers.

"The city's personnel are its greatest resource," she said.

The Jamestown City Council will continue its budget meetings at 9 a.m. on Thursday, June 24 and on Wednesday, June 30. Additional meetings could be necessary but have not been scheduled at this time.

A review of the preliminary budget is planned for the July 20 Jamestown Finance and Legal Committee with approval at the Aug. 2, City Council meeting.

The preliminary budget must be completed by Aug. 10. Preliminary budgets can generally be lowered but not raised before being finalized in October.