No raises for city employees; concerts down to 1 per weekend

Last week the Peachtree City Council formally approved the city’s $26.53 million budget for the coming fiscal year.

The budget includes a new police detective and one patrol officer, along with six new firefighters. Thanks to a federal grant, the firefighters will cost just over $50,000 this year for all six new positions.

The budget does not include any cost of living or merit raises for city employees, despite them being requested by a handful of citizens at previous budget workshops.

Previously council voted to avoid a proposed property tax hike in lieu of using $451,000 from the city’s cash reserves to balance the budget. Doing so will reduce the city’s cash reserves form 36 to 34 percent of its total operating budget, well above the city’s target threshold of 20 percent.

With decreased spending resulting in lower sales tax revenues, Peachtree City has been the hardest-hit jurisdiction in Fayette County. The city let go of 24 employees this year, most of whom were employed as landscapers. The landscapers were replaced by a private company that doesn’t mow as often as city crews formerly did, leading to some citizen complaints about unmowed grass.

To cover the $50,000 cost for the six firefighters this year, the city had to make corresponding cuts from the fire department’s budget including the purchase of dive team and water rescue equipment, firefighting foam, station cleaning supplies and more.

Also the department is diverting money from professional services including funds for drug screening, medical physicals and vaccines in addition to foregoing several training conferences.

The city will be spending replacing six police vehicles and adding two patrol motorcycles in lieu of purchasing two additional patrol cars as a cost saving measure. The fire department is also getting upgraded breathing apparatus in a significantly-reduced capital budget.

Among other budget cuts is a significant change at the city’s Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater. The summer concert series is being cut from two nights per artist to one, and the venue’s two employees will work 25 percent of their time on various tasks for the city, as 25 percent of their salary will come from the city’s general fund instead of the amphitheater budget.

The city has also pared $100,000 in costs from the Kedron Fieldhouse and Aquatic Center while implementing an estimated $200,000 in additional revenue for the facility, reducing the budget burden by $300,000 total, officials said.

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