Smyrna staff present balanced FY2025 budget: $65.8 million; fees and personnel changes proposed

City staff presented the proposed fiscal year 2025 budget to the Smyrna mayor and council May 20 and held the required public hearing on the plan that would cover July 1, 2024–June 30, 2025.

A budget presenter for the city summarized key figures: the proposed general fund is balanced at $65,835,675. Property taxes account for the largest share of general fund revenue, roughly 65.5 percent, the presenter said. Staff noted continuing use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for some capital projects and described transfers and reserve strategies across funds.

Among the highlights and proposed changes:

- Staffing: six new positions recommended, including three uncertified firefighters to staff a rescue unit at Station 4 and a three‑person recycling crew (two crew workers and one truck driver). The annualized cost for the full positions was noted; staff recommended funding these roles at partial year levels in FY25.

- Compensation and contingency: a $1,040,000 contingency was proposed, split among merit increases ($390,000), a cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA) budgeted at $538,000 and $121,000 unallocated contingency. Staff said the COLA is being capped at 3 percent for this year and would come before the council for final approval; merit and COLA amounts were budgeted at half a year.

- Fees: a proposed increase to the residential streetlight fee from $42 to $50 annually and to the commercial fee from $84 to $100 was explained as a pass‑through of higher Georgia Power charges; the additional revenue would be directed to a green energy CIP. Sanitation monthly rates were proposed to increase from $22.75 to $27.75, with the extra‑cart fee rising from $12 to $15 per month. Library black‑and‑white print and copy charges were proposed to rise from $0.15 to $0.25 per page.

- Water and stormwater: wholesale water purchase costs are a major expense in the water/sewer fund; the presenter described a 2–2.5 percent annual increase that is passed through to customers. The stormwater utility fee is proposed to rise seven cents from $3.73 to $3.80 per unit, effective January 1.

- Capital and debt: the general fund CIP was proposed at $1,684,000, and highlights included a $1,000,000 green energy project funded by streetlight fee revenue. The city reported about $46,900,000 outstanding in bonds (principal and interest) with significant principal payments planned in coming years; staff said they plan accelerated principal payments on certain TAD bonds.

Staff said the document and detailed line items are available online and in the clerk’s office and that the council will hold a follow‑up discussion May 30 with final adoption scheduled for the June 3 council meeting. No formal adoption vote was taken at the May 20 public hearing.

Public comment: Alex Bakery used the citizen participation period to criticize the city's purchase of a former church property and asked for more transparency and ward‑level outreach; he described the purchase process as "backwards" and questioned whether a referendum should have been used. The transcript records his concerns but no formal staff response to that specific allegation during the meeting.

Next steps: staff will return for additional budget discussion May 30 and a formal adoption vote is scheduled for June 3, 2024.