Cassville anticipates 4 percent increase in sales taxes
The city of Cassville has multiple major projects scheduled for this year, driving the $13.8 million 2024 budget that predicts a 4 percent increase in sales tax revenue.
The city forecasts $7.5 million in total revenue, which includes about $2.83 million in four sales taxes, more than $200,000 in interest and dividends, $130,000 from a refinance of the 2017 bond issue and $1.1 million in sewer and water bond proceeds. Other revenue sources include: Water and sewer services, grants, surtax, franchise fees, permit fees (construction and liquor licenses) and motor fuel tax.
Major expenses include a 3.5 percent cost of living raise to all employees; $772,000 in infrastructure, including the water system rehabilitation, meter replacement and PCV replacement; $670,000 in transportation needs, including the pedestrian bridge over Flat Creek at Highway 112/76, street resurfacing and a salt spreader; and $565,000 in sewer collection for a CCTV camera, oneton truck and collections system rehabilitation.
Other expenses include $120,000 for two equipped police vehicles; $74,000 for a pickleball court conversion, tunnel slide, pool vacuum and UTV; $55,000 on a spare influent pump, UTV and rip rap for the lagoon at the sewer treatment plant; and $49,000 for public building improvements, including flooring, entry door canopies, two bathroom remodels and paint.
As for debt service, the city has budgeted a total of $432,000 for payments on the 2006 Sherwood Forest NID, 2017 refinanced sewer sales tax revenue bond, 2018 sewer revenue bond, 2020 lease purchase agreement and the newly added USDA water and sewer project loans, the bulk of the cost at $197,000 for half the year.
The public works facility under construction will require $2.9 million, with $1.35 million coming from the general fund, and the remainder transferred from the parks and stormwater, transportation, water and ARPA funds, depleting the latter.
Monzell Hagins, finance officer and deputy city clerk for the city, said the city has also budgeted $35,000 for Outdoor Days this year, as well as $63,000 for economic development with Element 79.
“Element 79 helps us with Outdoor Days and media support, and they also use the PlaceAI technology to show us tourism trends,” she said. “Element 79 is also working on a new website for the city.”
Another $150,000, Hagins said, will go to cleaning up nuisance properties, including the Hall Theatre, the old Memories Bar (possum house) and another residential property.
The uptick in projects this year will affect the city’s overall fund balance, which will drop about 45 percent to $3.6 million, which will carry over into 2025.
The city also keeps a reserve, totaling $2.575 million.
Hagins said the sewer project should wrap up in the first quarter of this year, and pending easement acquisition, the water project is scheduled to start this year.
Last year, the city budgeted $12.4 million, but spent only $8.1 million due to a delay in the public works facility construction.
