Budget
Town of Winthrop · from the Town's website · 48 pages · 4.8 MB
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Town of Winthrop Fiscal Year 2023 Financial Plan Town of Winthrop, Massachusetts Financial Plan Fiscal Year 2023 Town Council James Letterie Town Council President Tracey Honan Robert DeMarco Councilor-At-Large Councilor-At-Large Richard Fucillo John Munson Councilor, Precinct 1 Councilor, Precinct 2 Hannah Belcher Barbara Flockhart Councilor, Precinct 3 Councilor, Precinct 4 Joseph Aiello Stephen Ruggiero Councilor, Precinct 5 Councilor, Precinct 6 Town Administration Chief Terence Delehanty Interim Town Manager Robert Powers Assistant Chief Financial Officer FY2023 BUDGET TABLE OF CONTENTS General Fund Overview 6 FY 2023 Revenues 7 Property Tax Levy 8 Local Receipts 9 State Aid 9 Other Revenue 9 SECTION II – ACCOUNTS GENERAL FUND FORECAST General Government 10 Public Works 11 Cultural and Human Services 11 Non-Departmental 12 Employee Benefits 13 Employee Pension 13 State Assessments 14 SECTION III - ENTERPRISE FUNDS Water/Sewer 15 Parks and Recreation 16 Rink 17 Solid Waste 18 Waterways 19 Ferry 20 SECTION IV - REVOLVING FUNDS Tax Title Revolving Fund 21 COA Revolving Fund 21 EB Newton Revolving Fund 21 Pauline Street Revolving Fund 21 SECTION V - CAPITAL PLANS Capital Plans 22 SECTION VI - DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS General Government Town Council 24 Town Manager 24 Grants 24 FY2023 Budget Summary Letter 1 Town Government Organizational Chart 5 FINANCIAL SUMMARY - SECTION I FY2023 BUDGET TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION IV - DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS (cont.) General Government Administration and Finance 25 Assessors 25 Treasurer 25 Town Attorney 26 Human Resources 26 MIS 26 Town Clerk 26 Conservation Commission 27 Planning 27 Department of Public Works(Building Maintenance) 27 Public Safety Police 28 Fire 29 Inspectional Services 30 Board of Appeals 30 Regional Dispatch 30 Emergency Management 31 Animal Control 31 Municipal Hearing Officer 31 Public Works Department of Public Works 32 Snow & Ice 33 Airport Hazards 33 Cemetery 33 Cultural and Human Services Clinical Services 34 Council on Aging 34 Veterans Agent 35 Library 35 Non-Departmental 36 Enterprise Fund Solid Waste 38 Parks and Recreation 38 Rink 39 Harbormaster 40 Sewer 41 Water 42 Breakdown of Expenditures 44 Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 1 FY 2023 BUDGET SUMMARY LETTER April 25, 2022 Mr. James Letterie Town Council President Town of Winthrop, Massachusetts Winthrop Town Hall 1 Metcalf Square Winthrop, MA 02152 Dear Mr. Council President, Pursuant to the Winthrop Town Charter, Article 4-2 and Article 7-7, please find the Fiscal Year 2023 Financial Plan, including the FY2023 General Fund Budget, Enterprise Fund Budgets, Revolving Fund budgets and the Capital Budget. The submission of this Financial Plan formally begins the Legislative Branches forty-five-day review process, culminating in the authorization of the Financial Plan. It is my goal to have the initial Financial Plan adopted by the Town Council, prior to the appointment of the Town’s next Town Manager. This should eliminate any nee d to have the Town Manager rush to develop, propose and justify a Financial Plan prior to the end of the current fiscal year. The Town Manager would then have the time to make any adjustments to the plan, prior to the setting of the FY 23 tax rate. The Fiscal Year 2023 Financial Plan attempts to correct structural and service delivery deficits and strengthen the Town’s General Fund and Enterprise Funds financial condition in future years. The goals of the Financial Plan are as follows: 1. Eliminate the structural deficits in the General Fund Budget; 2. Build future budgets based upon sustainable revenues; 3. Include budget initiatives to strengthen service delivery in key areas; 4. Implement strategies to address unfunded liabilities; 5. Implement policies to improve General and Enterprise Fund balances (Liquidity); 6. Link Capital Planning between the General Fund (Bonds) and the Capital Stabilization Fund (pay/go). In aggregate, the Fiscal Year 2023 Financial Plan is as follows: Revenue FY 2022 FY 2023 % Change General Fund $54,859,812 $56,929,060 3.77% Enterprise Funds 13,971,009 13,814,991 (1.12%) Capital Stab 172,000 704,712 309.72% Revolving Funds 198,254 200,334 1.05% Total Revenue $69,201,075 $71,649,095 3.54% Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 2 FY2023 BUDGET SUMMARY LETTER Appropriations FY 2022 FY 2023 % Change Town Departments $13,448,139 $13,630,513 1.36% School Department 22,842,750 23,742,750 3.94% Non-Departmental 17,689,488 18,498,133 4.57% Non-Appropriated 879,435 1,057,662 20.27% Total General Fund 54,859,012 56,929,060 3.77% Enterprise Funds 13,971,009 13,814,991 (1.12%) Revolving Funds 198,254 200,334 1.05% Capital Stab 172,000 704,712 309.72% Total Appropriations $69,201,075 $71,649,095 3.54% The General Fund Budget The FY 2023 General Fund Operating Budget is built upon conservative and realistic revenue estimates. The budget uses the Governor’s proposed FY 2023 State Aid / State Assessments. Further, the budget is based upon recurring revenues matched against recurring appropriations, resulting in the elimination of the structural deficits included in the current fiscal year budget. The FY 2023 General Fund revenue is estimated to be $56,929,060, which is an increase from the current year of 3.63%. Included in the General Fund Operating Budget are a number of initiatives to strengthen service delivery in key areas of operation. They major initiatives are: 1. Increase the School Department budget in order to guard against any loss of State or Federal aid; 2. Increase the Town Manager Department budget to provide sufficient salary to attract a qualified Town Manager. Increase salaries of key management positions to keep them competitive; 3. Increase a Building Inspector position from part time to full time in order to respond to increased volume, identifying new growth levy and increasing building permit revenues; 4. Increase a part time clerk position in the Town Clerk Department to full time; 5. Re-establish some Department of Public Works positions temporarily eliminated to balance the current year budget; 6. Create an Energy Reserve Fund to address rapidly changing pricing; 7. Create a Vacation / Sick time Buy Back Reserve; 8. Begin funding OPEB reserves: Other issues, such as the development of an IT Strategic Plan, a Pay and Class Study for Department Heads and non-union positions, and an Enterprise Fund fee study are being addressed through requests for appropriations from Free Cash. Enterprise Fund Budgets The FY 2023 Enterprise Fund budgets are supported primarily through fees for services. While developing the FY 2023 budgets, the challenge was to identify the proper overhead charges for services rendered in the General Fund, and to provide for a sufficient level of liquidity in each fund. The “best practices” liquidity for enterprise fund, due to the relatively small size of each budge t, is estimated to be approximately 20% of the budget. Some Enterprise Fund budgets would be phased up to that liquidity target level over a short period of time. Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 3 FY 2023 BUDGET SUMMARY LETTER 1. The General Fund subsidy to the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund is being phase down. Included in the FY 2023 Solid Waste Enterprise Fund budget is a subsidy of $970,000, reduced from $1,264,301 in the current year. The future goal is to phase this subsidy out over the next few years, until the service has established a 100% cost recovery. A new subsidy in the amount of $50,000 has been created in the Recreation Enterprise Fund; 2. The Ferry Enterprise Fund budget is not sustainable without state funding, as it is apparent that the user fee cannot support the cost of services provided. I recommend that the Town’s State Legislators petition the State to have the MBTA take over this service. 3. Overhead charges back to the General Fund have been reviewed and adjusted to reflect true costs. The Capital Budget The Town’s long range capital planning process has been strengthened. Capital projects, equipment and major building upgrades have been identified, prioritized and placed within a schedule of authorization over a five- year period. This process should be considered an annual activity, as priorities change, emergencies occur, and prices escalate. The plan utilizes multiple revenue sources to fund the projects, including general fund non-excluded and excluded debt service, general fund levy, enterprise fund debt service, enterprise fund fee supported, State and Federal grants, and the Capital Stabilization Fund. This strategy attempts to convert the current capital authorization from an emergency authorization to a systematic capital replacement plan. The plan calls for annual appropriations from the Capital Stabilization fund for items such as police vehicle replacement, sidewalk repairs, municipal building improvements, and computer replacements. The proposed FY 2023 appropriations from the Capital Stabilization Fund are as follows: Sidewalk Repair and Replacement $ 100,000 Fence Replacement 25,000 Police Department Windows 40,000 Town Boiler/HVAC 77,500 DPW Salt Storage Shed 75,000 DPW Equip Lease Purchase 109,102 Town Building Improvements 75,000 Fire Department Generator 39,700 Fire Truck Lease Purchase 90,000 Police Vehicle Replacement 48,410 Town Playground Improvements 10,000 Desk Top Computer Replacements 10,000 Town Zoning Map 5,000 Total $ 704,712 Revolving Fund Budgets The Revolving Fund budgets include the E.B. Newton Fund, the Pauline St Fund, the Council on Aging Fund and the Tax Title fund. With the exception of the Tax Title fund, these budgets are self - supporting. Increases in energy and property insurance pricing are included in these budgets. Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 4 FY2023 BUDGET SUMMARY LETTER Issues Required to be Addressed in Future Budgets The proposed Financial Plan addresses many of the weaknesses in prior year budgets. There are a few areas that, due to revenue capacity and time, have yet to be addressed. These are: 1. Competitive salaries for departmental managers – The Town is experiencing a drain on management talent, as surrounding communities are luring key management away with higher salaries. The proposed Pay and Class Study, currently before the Town Council, should establish the correct level of compensation. Some salaries have been addressed in the current budget. Other salaries will need to be addressed in future budget discussions; 2. The Information Technology Department – The Town uses outside contracting which is supplemented with low level internal capacity. Issues of security, efficiency, and improved productivity need to be addressed. The proposed IT Study, currently before the Town Council, should create a department organization structure and establish priorities based upon needs. This should be addressed in future budget discussions; 3. Overhead Charges from the Enterprise Funds to the General Fund – Overhead charges are a legitimate action, as services and benefits, consumed by enterprise funds, are provided by the General Fund. The Town needs to establish a consensus on the methodology used to determine the amount due from each enterprise fund back to the General Fund. Upon appointing a new Town Finance Director, this should become a high priority and that methodology should be used in future budget discussions. There is a possibility that additional funding becomes available for the FY 2023 Financial Plan. This would depend upon receiving actual health insurance costs lower than that anticipated in the current plan. In addition, final state aid, adopted at the end of the fiscal year by the State Legislature, may provide additional funding. Summary The development of the Fiscal Year 2023 Financial Plan has been challenging, as we try to gage when the pandemic will subsidy and how that will change the economic outlook. Local receipts are beginning to recover to some extent. Revenue flow, however, is and will continue to be inconsistent until world health issues are resolved. The vacancy in the Town Manager position has added to the challenges facing the Town. A number of key financial management positions are currently vacant, waiting for the Town Manager position to be filled. Only then can the Town permanently appoint qualified candidates to these important positions. It is my hope that the Fiscal Year 2023 Financial Plan will provide both time and direction to get through this challenging period and improve the financial health of the Town in future years. Respectfully submitted, Chief Terence Delehanty Interim Town Manager Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 5 FY 2023 ORGANIZATIONAL CHART The chart below outlines how Winthrop’s citizens, either through elections or by sitting on boards or committees, influence the operations of their government. The chart below then shows how Town Government is structured to enact the priorities of its citizens. Within town government, there are several different types of boards and commissions, each performing a different statutory or advisory function. They include: Board of Appeals Beautification Committee Parks Committee Board of Assessors Economic Development Committee Scholarship Committee Planning Board Council on Aging School Building Assistance* Board of Health Citizens Advisory Finance Committee Town Manager Review* Board of Licensing Energy Committee Transportation Committee Conservation Commission Harbor Management Committee Tree Committee Winthrop Retirement Board Historical Commission Winthrop Airport Hazards Committee Board of Registrars Memorial Commission Commission on Disability Winthrop Cultural Council Ordinance Review* Handicap Parking Committee *as needed Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 6 FY 2023 REVENUES Overview The final FY23 Budget represents a (3.55%) increase in the General Fund operating appropriation over the FY22 budget. The Town of Winthrop is required by statute to annually submit a balanced budget. Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 7 FY 2023 REVENUES Like most municipalities in Massachusetts, the Town depends largely on the property tax levy for the majority of its General Fund revenues. Property Tax The property tax levy is the revenue a community can raise through real and personal property taxes. In Massachusetts, Proposition 2½ places constraints on the amount of the levy raised by a city or town and on how much the levy can be increased from year to year. A levy limit is a restriction on the amount of property taxes a community can levy. Proposition 2½ established two types of levy limits: • First, a community cannot levy more than 2.5 percent of the total full and fair cash value of all taxable real and personal property in the community. • Second, a community’s levy is also constrained in that it can only increase by a certain amount from yea r to year. Proposition 2½ does provide communities with some flexibility. Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 8 FY 2023 REVENUES Local Receipts Massport PILOT: The Town recently renegotiated its payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement with Massport. The PILOT Schedule is as follows: Massport PILOT Schedule Fiscal Year 2019 $1,200,000 Fiscal Year 2020 $1,350,000 Fiscal Year 2021 $1,500,000 Fiscal Year 2022 $1,650,000 Fiscal Year 2023 $1,800,000 Fiscal Year 2024 $1,900,000 Fiscal Year 2025 $2,000,000 Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 9 FY 2023 REVENUES State Aid Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 10 FY 2023 GENERAL FUND FORECAST Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 11 FY 2023 GENERAL FUND FORECAST Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 12 FY 2023 GENERAL FUND FORECAST Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 13 FY 2023 GENERAL FUND FORECAST Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 14 FY 2023 GENERAL FUND FORECAST Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 15 FY 2023 ENTERPRISE FUND FORECAST Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 16 FY 2023 ENTERPRISE FUND FORECAST Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 17 FY 2023 ENTERPRISE FUND FORECAST Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 18 FY 2023 ENTERPRISE FUND FORECAST Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 19 FY 2023 ENTERPRISE FUND FORECAST Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 20 FY 2023 ENTERPRISE FUND FORECAST Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 21 FY2023 - REVOLVING FUNDS FORECAST Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 22 FY 2023 - CAPITAL PLANS Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 23 FY2023- CAPITAL PLANS Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 24 FY2023- DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 25 FY2023 – DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 26 FY2023- DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 27 FY2023 – DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 28 FY2023- DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 29 FY2023 – DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 30 FY2023- DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 31 FY2023 – DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 32 FY2023- DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 33 FY2023 – DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 34 FY2023- DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 35 FY2023 – DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 36 FY2023 – NON DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 37 FY2023 – NON DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 38 FY2023 – ENTERPRISE BUDGETS Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 39 FY2023 – ENTERPRISE BUDGETS Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 40 FY2023 – ENTERPRISE BUDGETS Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 41 FY2023 – ENTERPRISE BUDGETS Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 42 FY2023 – ENTERPRISE BUDGETS Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 43 FY2023 – ENTERPRISE BUDGETS MWRA Assessments for the Town of Winthrop Final FY22 Water Assessment $2,074,166 Preliminary FY23 Water Assessment $1,918,276 % Change from FY22 -7.5% Final FY22 Sewer Assessment $3,831,735 Preliminary FY23 Sewer Assessment $4,006,489 % Change from FY22 4.6% Final FY22 Combined Assessment $5,905,901 Preliminary FY23 Combined Assessment $5,924,765 Dollar Change from FY22 $18,864 % Change from FY22 0.3% Town of Winthrop - FY2023 Financial Plan 44 FY2023 – ENTERPRISE BUDGETS TOTAL EXPENDITURE BREAKDOWN