Bloomfield Hills okays 2023 fiscal year budget

By Lisa Brody

Bloomfield Hills city commissioners unanimously approved the proposed fiscal year 2022-2023 budget, projected at $11.8 million, at their meeting on Tuesday, May 10.

Bloomfield Hills Finance Director/Treasurer Sandra Barlass presented the budget, which she said was presented in the format required by the city charter and the state of Michigan Uniform Budgeting and Accounting Act.

The city's budget has six funds, of which the general fund is the largest. The total proposed revenues for the general fund for fiscal year 2023, which begins July 1, 2022, is $11.8 million, of which $10.3 million comes from property taxes. Other projected revenues are $562,224 in licenses and permits; $443,443 in federal and state sources, including state revenue sharing; and $267,008, for charges for services.

Projected expenditures for the city's general fund for fiscal year 2023 are $11.63 million. The largest expenditure in the general fund is public safety, at $5.3 million. The department of public works is projected to cost $1 million, with transfers to other funds at $2 million. Other expenses include the building and planning department, $424,374; general administration, $424,374; and payment for use of Birmingham's Baldwin Public Library, $329,378.

Bloomfield Hills anticipates receiving $404,588 in state revenue sharing for the city's major street fund; expenditures are transfers of $200,000 to local roads; $71,576 in routine maintenance; and $48,000 in winter maintenance.

The local street fund sees $204,613 in state revenue sharing; $200,000 in transfer from the city's major street fund; and $15,767 in grant revenue.

The water and sewer fund has projected revenue for fiscal 2023 of $6.5 million, $3.5 million from operations, $2.2 million from capital, and the remainder from investments and other revenue. Projected expenses for the fiscal year are $6.15 million, with $2.53 million coming from water payments, $1.45 million from sewer payments, $760,000 from depreciation and $750,000 from routine maintenance.

In addition, commissioners unanimously approved the millage levy of 10.96 mills on all real and personal property within the city.

“We've been able to have a pretty smooth budget process the last five or six years,” said city manager David Hendrickson. “Our approach is to be thorough, give the city commissioners all the information to help them make their decisions.”