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Wickliffe finance committee trims line items but proposed 2025 deficit remains about $1.47 million
Summary
The council's finance committee reviewed the city's preliminary 2025 budget, added revenue adjustments including a $900,000 state reimbursement, and shifted several expense line items; the proposal still shows a roughly $1.47 million shortfall and will return to committee for another review.
Members of the Wickliffe City Council’s finance committee reviewed a draft 2025 budget and recommended multiple revenue and expense adjustments while leaving the overall plan with a remaining deficit.
Finance Director Hunter told the committee “the state notified the city that we have to reimburse that $900,000 for taxes that were incorrectly sent to us in 2024,” and proposed adding $300,000 to the state net-profit tax revenue line and $150,000 to the city income tax projection to offset the impact. The committee’s work on revenue and expenses reduced the projected deficit from about $1,500,000 to about $1,470,000, Hunter said.
Why it matters: the changes affect staffing, capital projects and reserves and will be reviewed again before the council considers final adoption.
Key adjustments and discussion points
- Revenues: Hunter proposed adding $300,000 to the State of Ohio net-profit tax line and $150,000 to city income tax revenue, and noted an increase in anticipated building-deposit revenues tied to several large projects beginning in 2025, including the Sunset development and work at a former school property described as Lincoln Landing.
- State reimbursement: The committee was told the city must repay roughly $900,000 of state taxes it received in 2024; Hunter said that amount would be added to the municipal net-profit tax line.
- Expense changes: The committee recommended multiple reductions and reassignments: recreation administrative assistant salary to $47,000; service department administrator to $48,000; reduced trash collections expense by $10,000; reduced building contract inspection by $1,000 after staff certifications; reduced police equipment and generator funding with some equipment purchases shifted to the Law Enforcement Trust Fund; moved $85,500 from a miscellaneous projects account to buildings maintenance and repair for updates to fire dorms and the police lobby; and cut a $25,000 proposal for fencing around the police station.
- Personnel and pay: Hunter outlined planned employee pay increases of 5% in 2025, 4% in 2026 and 3% in 2027. The committee discussed a proposed 12% raise for the police and fire chiefs (to place them 10% above lieutenants and captains); some members expressed concern about sustainability.
- Department-specific items: Police Chief Bush said overtime is up because the department is short three officers; Fire Chief Grossman said 2024 overtime rose while covering an inspector vacancy and asked for increases to training and software budgets. Service Director Kropcheck reported salt cost estimates of about $45 per ton in 2024 and roughly $49 per ton for 2025, and described planned slab and street repairs for multiple roads.
Next steps
Committee members agreed to another finance committee meeting on Monday, Feb. 17, at 7 p.m. to continue reviewing the budget before recommending it to the full council. The committee chair said the budget item will remain in committee for at least one more review.
Ending: The committee meeting adjourned after agreeing to the listed adjustments and scheduling further review; no final appropriation was adopted at this session.
