June 19, 2023 — Clovis City Council
Documented by Rachel Youdelman
What happened: At its Monday meeting, the Clovis City Council approved the city’s $330.8 million budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year and heard concerns from several department heads about the potential future loss of Measure C funds.
According to the agenda, the major challenge in the current budget and years to come is the $105.3 million General Fund budget, of which sales and property taxes make up 85% of the discretionary revenues. Staff is estimating an ending General Fund emergency reserve balance for June 30, 2024, of $22.7 million, or 22% of the General Fund expenditures.
Clovis Public Utilities Director Scott Redelfs said the potential loss of the county’s half-cent sales tax would be “catastrophic” for the city because it not only funds road maintenance, but also larger transportation infrastructure projects like the Willow Avenue corridor from Shepherd to Copper avenues.
The measure, a 30-year spending plan, failed in the last election, after widespread criticism about planning priorities and allocations, which skimped on public transportation and sidewalks. The current version of Measure C expires in 2027 so local leaders have two more election cycles to put a new plan on the ballot.
Redelfs said the funding was also important because the city has recently been affected by a significant reduction in revenue from the state Highway Users Tax, which has resulted in the loss of $500,000 to $1 million in the last year.
“Clovis does rely on that regional Measure C,” said Shonna Halterman, general services director for the city. “The loss of those dollars would be a big impact to not only the regional program, but also the local pass-through program.”
There were no public comments during the budget presentations, which was first introduced on May 15 and continued to June 5 and again to the Monday meeting.
And also: In a 4-1 vote, the council approved a new fee schedule for the Clovis Senior Center that includes a $25 annual use fee for non-Clovis residents wishing to participate in activities.
Council member Vong Mouanoutoua voted against the new fees and voiced his opposition to the nonresident fee.
General Services Manager Amy Hance said the fee is not intended to generate revenue and would amount to approximately $20,000 per year. She said a scholarship fund is available for seniors that cannot afford the $25 per year.
Up next: The Clovis City Council will meet again on July 10, which will be followed by a four-week summer hiatus until Aug. 7.
