Just under 70% of total general fund spending would go toward employee costs in 2024, according to a budget approved Monday by the Poplar Bluff City Council.
General fund spending as a whole will be up 3.25%, city manager Matt Winters explained in budget documents presented to the council earlier this month.
The city estimates it will see a 6% increase in the general liability and worker’s compensation insurance, as well as a 5% increase in health insurance.
“The rates for employees and dependents are not changing this coming year,” said Winters.
Employees will not see raises outside of negotiated union contracts, but the city’s contributions to retirement plans will increase.
LAGERS retirement rates for general employees will go from 19.2% to 19.7%. Retirement rates for police department employees will increase from 22.3% to 22.5% and for fire department employees, from 19.2% to 20.2%.
“Recruitment and retention of quality employees continues to be a challenge,” Winters wrote in budget documents. “When positions do open within city departments, the number of responses has decreased over the past years.
“Water rates are a contributing factor and will continue to be a factor for the foreseeable future.”
Total spending will be approximately $15.2 million, with employee costs making up $10.5 million of that.
Spending by department includes (figures approximate, includes salary, benefits and fringe benefits):
• City council, $7
• City manager, $164,000
• City attorney, $81,300
• Municipal Court, $176,300
• City clerk, $179,000
• Human resources, $104,100
• Prosecuting attorney, $19,300
• Finance/collections, $208,700
• Mosquito abatement, $4,300
• Planning, $245,400
• Police, $4.6 million
• Animal control, $125,700
• Code enforcement, $149,700
• Fire, $2.5 million
• Street, $1.3 million
• Cemetery, $146,200
• Motor pool, $472,500
• Non department, $5,500
Total salary cost for the general fund in 2024 is projected to be $7,089,903, compared to $6,264,848 in 2021.
Total salary support costs in the next fiscal year are projected at $286,284, and fringe benefit costs at $3,132,144. For the 2021 fiscal year, these were $219,382 and $3,107,826.
City employees received raises in the 2022 and 2023 fiscal years.