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Northlake staff outline conservative preliminary budget, propose new positions and 3% COLA
Summary
Town staff presented a preliminary FY budget showing a roughly $336,000 general-fund shortfall, recommended a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for employees, and requested several new positions across departments (records clerk, development analyst, water/wastewater technicians, stormwater inspector, traffic-marking crew and police officers). Final property-tax figures are expected July 25.
Town staff presented a conservative preliminary budget to the NorthlakeTown Council on June 13, telling council members revenue estimates were intentionally cautious while departments submitted requests tied to council strategic goals.
Finance Director John Thompson said the town is projecting about $1.4 million in increased revenues across key categories — roughly $870,000 from property taxes, $141,000 from sales taxes and $132,000 from development permits — but cautioned that about 20% of properties are currently in protest and final property-tax numbers will not arrive until July 25. Using conservative assumptions, the presentation showed a general-fund gap of about $336,000 at this stage.
To help retain staff, Thompson said the budget includes a proposed 3% cost-of-living adjustment costing approximately $163,742. “We’ve taken some very conservative estimates with the revenues,” Thompson said, adding the figures will be refined once the town receives final tax data.
Departments outlined several staffing requests tied to service levels and anticipated growth. Administrative services and the town secretary asked for a records clerk to support a one-person office and a self-service kiosk for on-site payments. Development Services requested a development analyst to track agreements and support recruitment; staff said outsourcing of permitting review means consultant fees have risen and a permanent analyst would improve continuity. Public Works requested two utility positions (a meter technician and a maintenance worker funded from utility revenues), a stormwater inspector to meet MS4 requirements, and a traffic marking and sign crew to reduce outsourcing costs. The police department requested funding for two officers and one detective to restore patrol coverage and reduce detective caseloads.
Council members pressed staff on the magnitude of maintained-service increases and whether moving work in-house would be more cost effective. Staff said past analyses favored continued use of consultant firms for technical specialties but agreed to revisit the in-house vs. consultant tradeoffs as the budget is refined. On the water-meter conversion, public-works staff said commercial installations are complete but residential retrofits are delayed by supply-chain issues and a third-party installer will complete retrofits when parts arrive.
Mayor (Speaker 1) and several council members emphasized prioritizing positions that are essential to operations. Council members expressed support for a records clerk for the town secretary and asked staff to return with options if revenue projections shift. Staff reiterated that the preliminary numbers are intentionally conservative and that the final proposed budget will be presented after the town receives property-tax information on July 25.
What’s next: staff will refine revenue estimates, analyze which newly requested positions are essential versus discretionary, and return with a proposed balanced budget in the coming weeks.
