Road improvements, required water system projects, a computer software update and additional funding for legal services, increased all four 2025-2026 budgets the Climax Village Council unanimously approved at the Council’s regular meeting March 18.
The adopted General Fund budget shows revenues and expenditures at $374,192; the Local Streets budget shows revenues and expenditures at $49,000; the Major Streets budget shows revenues and expenditures at $146,264; and the approved Water budget shows revenues and expenditures at $169,976.
To support the 2025-2026 budget, the budget was built on 9.5 mills for the General Fund and 2.5 mills for the Water Fund, the same figures that were used last March to build the about to expire 2024-2025 budget.
Updated budget amendments for the about to expire 2024-2025 budget were unanimously approved before the 2025-2026 budget was considered for approval at the March 18 meeting. The amendments include $36,771 for General Fund, $10,529 for major streets, $4,233 for Local Streets and $7,966 for Water.
The adopted 2025-2026 General Fund budget of $374,192 is an increase of $37,304 from what the 2024-2025 general fund budget is projected to end, showing revenues and expenditures at $336,888 and $49,408 more then the 2024-2025 budget that was adopted last March ($324,784).
Some large increases in the 2025-2026 General Fund budget include an increase of $25,791 under software purchases and support compared to the projected $1,709 in the about to expire 2024-2025 budget. The large increase is for new BS&A utility billing and tax software, upgrading other software packages, charges for training and annual fees. There will also be some added expense to migrate five years of information from the old utility billing software into the new program. Utility billing information will also be changed to cloud based.
There is an increase of $21,917 in legal fees, due mainly to a lengthy process the Council faces of bringing ordinances up to current statute status.
The Council is also considering the creation of a Planning Commission that will likely require legal consultation. Village Council President Bill Lewis said there are three options for the Planning Commission - the Village can create its own Planning Commission, join another unit of government’s Planning Commission or the Village could have an unplanned committee.
It was noted it may be difficult finding people to serve on a newly established Planning Commission, however the Council unanimously approved a motion to do more research to determine costs before a recommendation is made.
Another noteworthy General Fund increase is a bump of $2,048 in insurance costs.
The Council will draw $59,967 if needed, to balance the 25-26 General Fund budget. If the full amount is needed out of fund balance, the General Fund fund balance will be $257,518.
An increase of $61,264 in the Major Roads budget over the figure ($85,500) that was adopted last March, will be used for two large road improvement projects.
The Council plans to perform a chip seal and fog seal project on North and South Main Street at an estimated cost of $55,121. The Council also plans a 2-inch mill and fill project on North Church Street from East Maple Street to Cherry Street at an estimated cost of $41,000.
A total of $55,264 has been budgeted to use out of fund balance if needed, which would leave the Major Street fund balance at $280,434.
The adopted 2025-2026 Local Street budget shows an increase of $2000 from the figure that was adopted last March ($47,000). A 2-inch mill and fill road improvement project on Columbine, estimated to cost $23,750, is scheduled to be performed this year.
The adopted 25-26 Water Fund budget of $169,976 shows an increase of $52,182 above the figure that was adopted for the 2024-25 budget last March.
Two required projects will add over $20,000 in expense to the Water Fund budget.
A state mandated water tank inspection and cleaning process scheduled for this summer, is one of the added expenses.
Repairing three fire hydrants that are not working properly will also add approximately $21,000 in expense to the water fund budget.
The DPW attempts to overhaul village pumps every nine years and pump number 3 is scheduled to be overhauled in 2025 at an estimated cost of $31,000.
If the budget year ends with revenues and expenses at $169,976, $50,398 would be added to the Water Fund fund balance, leaving a fund balance total of $507,443.
The adopted 25-26 budget shows the fund balance for all funds totaling $1,066,572.
In other items covered at the March 18 meeting:
• The Council unanimously approved The Run To Climax Committee’s request to use the Village streets for Memorial Day.
• The Council unanimously approved a request by the local Girl Scout troop permission to work with the Village with a flower beautification project in the spring.
• Law Enforcement and Public Safety Chairman Nick Ludwig said electrical hookup for the new weather siren that will be installed in the Village Park has started. The Village will now move forward to obtain a permit from Safebuilt to continue the hook up process. The siren will be located outside the fence where the water tower is located, on the northwest corner,
just west of the basketball court. The siren could be installed as early as the week of March 22.
• Ludwig said the times Sheriff Deputies were assigned for overtime patrol in the Village was spread out for the month of February, ranging from 4 p.m., 11 a.m., 5 p.m., 7 a.m. (twice) and 7:15 p.m., for a total of 30 hours worked.
There were 10 citizen initiated calls for service in February including three harassment/miscellaneous, two tickets and one each for suspicious, special service, harassing texts, civil call and noise complaint.
There were 26 officer initiated calls for service in February including 22 directed patrol, two traffic stops, one additional ticket and one commercial property check call.
• The Kalamazoo County Sheriff Department will lead the Memorial Day parade.
• April 12 is the spring curb side trash pickup day in the Village for Best Way customers only.
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