Hamilton budget workshop: ARPA funds gone, recycling and health-care costs push up 2024 numbers

Hamilton Township finance staff and councilors reviewed revenue pressures and grant expectations at the April 4 budget workshop, highlighting the end of ARPA support and large increases in recycling and group-insurance costs.

Key fiscal changes: staff noted that roughly $5 million of federal ARPA dollars that had been used in prior budgets will not be available for 2024. That change, combined with sharp increases in solid-waste and recycling costs and rising group-insurance charges, contributed to a larger-than-expected fiscal gap that the budget seeks to close partly with reserves and careful appropriation choices.

Staff context and reserves: finance staff explained that the administration opened the prior year with a larger surplus and has been directing portions of new surplus into targeted reserves (accumulated leave payouts, recycling reserve, storm reserve and self-insurance for health benefits) rather than leaving it entirely unrestricted, to preserve bond-rating strength and fiscal stability.

Grant activity: officials said the municipal grant pipeline remains active and that grants totaling several million dollars were added during previous years by resolution; staff expects additional grant awards to be processed after budget adoption that would be revenue-neutral (grant revenue offset by grant appropriation) and relieve some capital pressures.

What council asked for: council members sought clarification about which grants would be added post-adoption, requested detail on the line items for recycling and solid-waste, and asked staff for revenue breakdowns and the impact of reduced ARPA support on tax-rate calculations.

Ending: finance staff said they will provide the requested grant and revenue detail and will continue to advise the council on reserves and any follow-up actions required to maintain fiscal stability.