KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Kalamazoo City Commissioners are preparing for a special meeting Monday night to go over their 2022 budget.
With the deadline looming, the new commissioners will be deciding how to spend over $245-million.
Total expenditures will climb over 14% more next year than in 2021, primarily on capital improvement projects. Those projects include roads, parks, lead-line and wastewater plant upgrades.
Mayor David Anderson says the City Manager’s proposal is based on public input, the 2025 Imagine Kalamazoo Plan, city department heads and the previous Commission.
“That input is acceptable to the new Commission, and there won’t be too many changes proposed, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s going to be some adjustments suggested,” Mayor Anderson said.
Commissioner Chris Praedel says fewer people seem interested in the budget this year, judging from the number of those who have downloaded the budget packet.
“Only 41,” Praedel said. “The fiscal year 2020 budget had almost 3,000 downloads as of the last time I checked, so we have to get people engaged and excited.”
He says tonight’s session should help.
“It’s basically gonna give everybody the cliff notes so you don’t have to dive into that giant document,” Praedel said.
The special session, which they had hoped might be their first face-to face-meeting, will again be held on Zoom. Commissioners had recently looked at rising COVID numbers and delayed the return to in-person meetings until after New Years.
The budget workshop will begin at 6 p.m.
More information on the meeting can be found here.
— Copy Written by John McNeil —
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