KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Kalamazoo City Commission held a public hearing for the proposed 2020 city budget during a meeting Monday night.
Although the presentation was a public hearing, no citizens offered input during the meeting.
Chief Financial Officer Steve Vicenzi was called to explain some of the highlights of the budget, which he claimed was around $203 million due to recent changes.
“There is an additional $455,830 in operating expenditures for the Foundation for Excellence fund,” Vicenzi said. “Additionally, in the water fund, we’d like to include an additional one million dollars in 2020 and one million dollars in 2021 for facility repairs that have been since identified since the original budget was proposed.”
Other highlights from the budget include provisions for building a new public safety location. The proposed location is on Bryant Street in the Edison neighborhood with upgrades to equipment also planned.
Three new positions are set to be created in the city, including a Diversity Equity and Inclusion Officer, a Transportation Planner, and a Public Information Officer.
According to the plan, “The Diversity Equity and Inclusion Officer will help facilitate City-wide diversity, inclusion and social equity programs and collaborate with stakeholders to make meaningful movement towards a more equitable community and organization. The Transportation Planner will improve communication and coordination between Public Services and Community Planning and Economic Development to improve delivery of transportation, street, and non-motorized-related projects. Lastly, a new Public Information Officer will assist Public Safety and other departments in the on-going effort to better communicate City’s activities and ensure effective communications during Public Safety-related events.”
For infrastructure, the city is proposing that around $6.5 million be used to fix roads and streets in the area.
Citizens can read the full plan online at this link.
