City Commissioners

Current Goals

Over the past several years, the City has been proactive in making the organizational changes necessary to lower our operational costs to offset our declining revenues while maintaining service levels and actually lowering our millage rate.  Unfortunately, the economic picture has still not improved and we anticipate further reductions in revenues in the form of the elimination of personal property tax and increased costs for health care and pensions.  Therefore, this year we are recommending that for 2012 we focus all of our efforts on the following five (5) goals which are specifically focused on further efficiencies resulting in operational savings, long-term plans to provide for the maintenance of infrastructure and capital assets and continued communication and economic development.

Our focus - Maintain millage rate, increase tax base and reduce the cost of government.

1.      Through the use of professional consultants determine the most efficient and cost effective method of providing police and fire services with a goal of reducing our annual operating budget by $500,000 while providing the same high level of safety and service.

2.      Develop and implement a long-range plan to fund significant improvements to neighborhood streets without increasing the local street millage.

3.      Develop and implement a long-range plan to fund and prioritize improvements to current capital assets through our Capital Project Fund, recognizing the possibility of declining revenues to this fund.

4.      Conduct a thorough study of employee compensation and benefits with a goal of reducing overall operational costs including pension, longevity pay and retiree health care.

5.      Continue to use all available resources to effectively communicate with our residents and roll out the red carpet to insure that St. Joseph remains a tourist hotspot.         

  
If you have any questions about these topics, please contact the City and we will be glad to help you.