Marshfield City Administrator Recommends Budget for Consideration by Common Council

Wednesday, October 16th, 2024 -- 8:00 AM

The City of Marshfield budget is an ongoing process, but each year in the fall season, the Council must adopt a budget for the following year.

Before the budget is presented to the Common Council, Department, Division Heads, along with the City Administrator and Finance Department, begin the process in June.

The City Administrator then compiles all the information into their recommended budget for the Council to discuss. A series of meetings with the Common Council occur in October before a public hearing takes place before approval of the budget.

The City budget is a document that sets forth its detailed plan for the coming year's revenues and expenditures. The City's property tax rate is based on the total amount levied.

The City Administrator's budget is the most important financial document of the City.  Although not chiseled in stone, the annual budget must be strictly followed unless the Council approves a budget amendment allowing monies to be transferred from one account to another for specific purposes.

Budget amendments are intended to be uncommon, and a super-majority (7 votes) is required for their approval. City Administrator Steve Barg provided the Marshfield Common Council with his recommended budget. The total amount for expenses regarding the City’s different funds include $57,917,464.

The total amount for revenue summary for the City’s different funds include $59,823,543. For the general fund revenue and expenses are recommended at $24,874,967. That’s a decrease of $60,000.

The City Administrator stated that upon review of budget requests provided by department heads, they had an initial shortfall (expenses over revenues) of approximately $1.1 million.

Overcoming that proved to be a daunting task, especially since department budgets were submitted under a directive to limit the total increase related to wage and benefit expenses, unless a strong case could be made for an exception to exceed that amount.

But by working together, city officials were able to mitigate this gap and ultimately produce the balanced budget recommended by the City Administrator. Some other items of note, the City does have a good credit rating of Aa3 from Moody’s.

The City is currently sitting at a property tax rate of $7.86. In order to balance the budget, most budget cuts impacted public services. There were also changes to staffing levels and pay and benefits. There were reductions in many programs and services.

Follow this link to see the City Administrator's recommended budget: https://ci.marshfield.wi.us/news_detail_T58_R605.php

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.