By Bruce Rolfe

The Climax Village Council approved the 2024-2025 fiscal year budget at its regular meeting March 5 that includes a new Village truck and a new software package the Council
hopes will allow residents to pay water bills and taxes online in the future.

The Council approved the purchase of a  2024 Ford F-250 pickup for $48,327 at its February 6 meeting through the State of Michigan’s MiDeal Extended Purchasing Program that bids out municipal vehicles and allows local governments to purchase vehicles at a lower price. While the purchase approval comes during the current fiscal year, funding will come out of the approved 2024-2025 budget. Village Council Clerk Linda Coburn said 60 percent of the cost will come out of the 2024-2025 Water Fund budget and the other 40 percent will come out of the 2024- 2025 General Fund budget.

The new pickup truck will replace the everyday pick up truck that currently has 130,000 miles and will be used as a backup snow plow truck.

Department of Public Works Manager T.J. Gibson is hopeful the truck will be available for delivery April 1.

Another large expense in the new budget will be approximately $19,000 to convert the current utilities and accounting software package to BS&A.

Interim Village President David Miller said he has been working with BS&A on how the village can make the transition from its old software package to BS&A that will hopefully include an option to pay water invoices and taxes online. There is no additional cost to the customer.

Coburn adds having an online option to pay for water invoices and taxes is an increasing request by village residents.

All four major budgets within the approved 2024-2025 budget are lower then the about to expire current fiscal year budget because a number of expensive projects were completed in 2023-2024 and none are projected for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

The approved 2024-2025 fiscal year budget shows General fund revenues and expenditures at $282,814, which is over $30,000 less then the amended 23-24 general fund budget.

The Major Street revenue and expenditures are $85,500, which is approximately $12,000 less then the projected emended 2023-2024 budget.

The Local Street revenue and expenditures is $47,000, over $24,000 less then the amended 2023-2024 budget.

The Water Fund revenue and expenditures are listed at $135,350, approximately $1000 under the amended 2023-2024 budget.

Coburn said the millage to support the budget is 12 mills, which is unchanged. She said 9.5 mills goes to general fund and 2.5 mills goes to the Water Fund.

There is a reduction of $18,000 in Law Enforcement, however the Council did renew a contract with the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Department for approximately $45,000 for regular patrols in the Village with a goal of 40 hours each month. The balance of the $45,000 with the $16,000 budgeted for Law Enforcement will come from Covid funds.   

The total fund balance for all funds in the amended 2023-2024 budget is $982,178.

In other items covered at the March 5 meeting:

• Streets and Sidewalks Chairperson Joline Chaney has arranged for a visit by Larry Bowron of OHM Architects, Engineers and Planners of Kalamazoo, plans to attend the April 2 village council meeting to discuss a Railroad Quiet Zone and answer questions the council or audience might have. OHM’s proposal is $4,238 for feasibility and estimated cost to construct the railroad quite zone at the Maple Street and Main Street crossings in the Village of Climax. Costs for the final design, bid documents, and construction administration services are not included in the proposal.

• Department of Public Works Manager T.J. Gibson said street sweeping is expected to begin next week.

• Public Safety Chairman Nick Ludwig said the Kalamazoo County Sheriff Department had 11 directed patrols in the Village of Climax in January and 30 directed patrols in February. Some of the calls included four trouble with subject calls, three calls for a peace officer, and two calls to assist with the fire department. Ludwig adds there were five traffic stops that resulted in tickets.

The Public Safety chairman adds there were 30 opportunities for sheriff deputies to patrol in the Village on an overtime basis in January and February.

• Current interim village president and Ordinance Chairman David Miller said a judge ordered that the council could proceed with the demolition of a house at 329 West Maple St. Miller said he received two bids to demolish for the council to review, however one bid was approximately $11000 more then the other. The interim Village president is waiting for a copy of the court order and said the Council can wait until the March 19 meeting to approve the demolition contract.

• Miller suggested training someone to be a back up Treasurer in case current Treasurer Brenda Borden had to be away from the job for a significant period of time.

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