Akron City Council adopts $815 million budget. Here's what you need to know
Following Friday's eleventh-hour compromise between City Council and Mayor Shammas Malik, council voted unanimously Monday to adopted an $815 million operating budget.
Council President and Ward 3 representative Margo Sommerville thanked council leadership for working on the amendment, and the councilmembers who expressed their concerns and priorities.
"I want to thank the mayor for being willing to have a conversation, and being willing to understand where we were coming from in terms of wanting to have a budget that does have equity, that does have resources that's allocated to all departments — particularly departments in which our Akron residents heavily rely on every single day," Sommerville said.
She added that she's still concerned about the sustainability of the mayor's office staff, and that she still wants to find money to turn all part-time seasonal workers into full-time employees, something Malik said he is interested in looking into. Ward 8 Councilman James Hardy echoed Sommerville's concerns.
"I want us to work as a team to make sure that happens," Sommerville said.
Malik, who previously served as Ward 8's representative, said that the budget process always involves some give and take, and he wasn't surprised that council members had questions, concerns and feedback. He said he respects that not everyone shares his vision for Akron and didn't take council's critiques about the budget personally.
"Even the feedback and criticism that we were getting, we didn't respond with frustration, or anger or anything like that. It wasn't a fight, or something like that," Malik said.
"I'm proud of the budget that we were able to pass unanimously through council tonight. I think it accomplishes a lot for the citizens of Akron," Malik said.
The spending plan includes $365 million for a slate of capital projects that the council unanimously approved last month.
The overall amount is a 1.2% increase from last year's budget, primarily due to staffing costs, according to the mayor's office. Roughly 69% of general fund expenditures are going toward support for staffing.
Here's what you need to about this year's budget.
What's in the city of Akron's operating budget for 2024?
Highlights include:
Funds the highest level of staffing for police and fire departments in decades: 488 uniformed police officers and 402 uniformed firefighter/medic.
Allocates $1.2 million to violence intervention and prevention funding via American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) federal funding.
Designates $500,000 to support youth out-of-school opportunities as a key partner with Youth Success Summit.
Designates $250,000 to support planning for the city’s bicentennial celebration. (Akron turns 200 in 2025.)
Adds a housing specialist, a mediator and a grant writer for the municipal court.
Budgets for 2,055 full-time employees, up from 2,019.
Designates $7.5 million for the water main replacement program.
Allots $2 million in ARPA funds for lead services replacement. After this year’s program, the city will only have 1,000 lead service lines remaining.
Puts a total of $28.9 million toward parks, community centers and public spaces.
What time period does the budget cover?
The city's operating budget funds Akron through the end of the fiscal year, Dec. 31.
Deputy Finance Director Mike Wheeler said that the city has to pass a temporary budget appropriation in the fourth quarter so Akron can continue operating in the first fiscal quarter.
What compromise did Akron City Council and Mayor Malik reach on the operating budget?
The revised $815 million operating budget reduces funding for the mayor's office by $293,762 from Malik's original proposal by eliminating three vacant positions — data transparency strategist, public engagement strategist and environmental policy specialist — paring it down paring it down from $3.5 million to $3.25 million.
Additionally, $50,000 was cut from the mayor's office service contracts, $125,000 from the finance contract for the demolition of The Word Church, and $131,238 from the finance for general fund property taxes.
The administration also added several things to the budget, totaling $550,000, resulting in no net change to the proposed budget's overall cost.
The additions include $100,000 for police overtime to deal with vice issues, $90,000 for a grant writer for Akron Municipal Court and $100,000 for another inspector for Akron's Housing Compliance department.
Is the section allowing the mayor to enter contracts without City Council approval still in the budget?
No. This is the first operating budget in decades that has passed without the inclusion of the provision, known as Section 56.
Section 56 was a line item in the operating budget ordinance introduced in 1966 by Mayor John Ballard and his finance director that allowed the mayor to approve contracts without council approval, even those for more than $50,000.
Will Akron residents be able to be involved in next year's budgeting process?
Maybe.
During a town hall about the budget last week, Malik administration officials asked people how they think a participatory budgeting process might work. More details are expected in the coming months.
Contact reporter Derek Kreider at DKreider@Gannett.com or 330-541-9413
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron City Council approves $815 million city operating budget
