Brighton evaluating department budgets

BRIGHTON — The city of Brighton is taking a close look at municipal department budgets as it plans a budget to handle rising costs and high-price projects.

“The city’s facing some challenges within the general fund, and we’re looking at examining expenses for all of our departments,” Mayor Melvin Rich said. “This is just budget time and we’re trying to make it work.”

Rich said funds were stretched by rising costs, despite a planned 5.28% increase in the tax levy.

“There’s no less funding at this time,” he said. “Our general fund covers our parks, our cemetery, our fire department, police protection, EMS … we also have our road fund, we’re looking at that, snow removal and things, how our time’s charged. We have our own municipal gas system.”

The mayor also mentioned ongoing mandatory construction projects, which further tap city finances.

“We’re rebuilding our sewer system,” he said. “Our construction contract is a little over $4 million on a mandated rebuild.”

The city will hold a public hearing on its budget proposal at its first meeting in March. The document is set for publication Thursday, and shows a handful of spending cuts for the city, including an over $20,000 drop in public safety expenditures. City Clerk Michelle Talley said that change didn’t reflect a lack of attention to the departments, however.

“(A new) firetruck … was paid in fiscal year 21, the rest was paid in fiscal year 22, and that’s why it’s lower in ‘23, because the firetruck is now paid for,” she said.

While the city was reimbursed for that vehicle by insurance, the money is still shown on the city budget for documentation.

Some residents have expressed concern on social media with possible cuts to department budgets. Rich said he welcomed those citizens to speak at city council meetings.

“If the public comes, they have every right to speak,” he said. “The council was elected to oversee the taxes and the expenses of the city, so they’ll listen to the taxpayers.”

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