City of Willow Springs Passes Balanced 2021 Budget

At the regular City Council meeting on December 17, the Board of Aldermen unanimously passed the 2021 city budget. With revenues and expenses balanced at $5,908,750 each, the 2021 budget is similar to the 2020 municipal budget.

Despite the economic downturn and shortfalls in sales taxes this year, municipal revenues have remained strong, reads City Administrator Beverly Hicks’ statement to the City Council. In fact, sales tax revenues have increased 8% over last year. “Franchise fee” revenues are down 8%, however. Hicks' statement says the City has, “no clear understanding for this at this point.”

The expense budget for 2021 is “conservative.” Notable changes from last year include accommodations for the minimum wage increase that will take place on January 1. Regular wage expenses will increase $69,000 in 2021. In the electric department, the budget provides for hiring an additional full time lineman/journeyman. In the parks/recreation/cemetery department, funds are planned to hire an additional full time employee.

The 2021 budget provides for the completion of the repairs to the city pool, a sum of $40,000. The water and sewer departments have a combined budget of $71,000 for repairs and upgrades, including new controls and a transfer switch on well #6 and lift station pumps in the wastewater plant. 

The City will also contribute $15,000 to the Willow Springs YMCA, $39,000 to the Willow Springs Public Library, and $15,000 to the Ozarks Development Corporation. 

“We are hopeful that we will, for lack of a better word, use 2021 as a “re-start” to a better future and calmer days. We made it through 2020 and remained financially stable...The City of Willow Springs community is resilient and our tenacity to move forward is evident,” said Hicks.