Seneca grows to $64M government

Seneca’s elected officials are contemplating new budgets, for all purposes, that top $64 million.  Scott Moulder, city administrator, introduced the budget proposals last night at first reading.  The highlights include no property tax increase, a 3% pay increase for city workers, a sewer rate increase of $2 to $3 dollars a month to offset what the Joint Regional Sewer Authority will charge for treatment.  Just ahead of Moulder’s disclosure of the budgets assembled by him and the office staff was a presentation from the city’s outside utilities consultant, UTEC.  The analysis by consultant Ted Orrel determined that the city’s charges for sewer are not enough to meet costs and the current shortfall is $2.3 million.  Orrel’s look at water and electric power charges provides that those revenues are sufficient; however, he announced that the city’s electric power purchase arrangement will expire after fiscal year 2025, and he predicts the next purchase contract will contain supply increases.  That’s why the consultant recommends a cash reserve for the next 26 months that “would allow for a gradual transition to the full impacts of increased power supply costs.”