The City Council unanimously approved Seal Beach’s budget for the year on Monday, June 13.
Staff projects a slim budget surplus of $207,100 for Fiscal Year 2011/12.
According to the staff report by Robbeyn Bird, director of Administrative Services, the major changes to the proposed budget included:
• $100,000 more for planting trees on Main Street.
• $40,000 more for the preparation of the Local Coastal Plan.
• $27,000 more in the vehicle fund to pay for the repair of a Lifeguard boat.
• A hiring freeze for non-essential full-time jobs.
• Review of the Seal Beach Detention Center (City Jail) budget at mid-year.
“In addition, salaries and benefits were adjusted for the April Consumer Price Index of 3.3 percent,” Bird wrote. “Previously, salaries and benefits had been calculated using a 3 percent CIP.”
“For fiscal year 2011/12, the General Fund estimated revenues are projected to be $26,237,000 compared to operating appropriations and transfers out of $29,357,000 resulting in an estimated fund balance decrease of $3,119,900,” Bird wrote.
According to the Bird report, revenues will exceed expenses by $207,100. “I’m hopeful that in future years that we’ll see some bright spots” in the budget, Bird told the council.
Ray Ybaben, a former Seal Beach councilman and former resident who still owns property in the city, said he was concerned about reports that the Tennis Center was running a deficit of $70,000.
In April, Bird told the council that staff had reviewed the Tennis Center’s revenues from 2006 to 2010. She said the center had a consistent deficit of about $70,000 each year.
Ybaben proposed removing the contractor currently running the Tennis Center. Ybaben said the center should generate revenue of $350,000 to $450,000 a year.
