Ponderay OKs $2M budget

PONDERAY — With plenty of workshops behind them, it didn’t take long for council members to pass a $2 million budget Monday for Ponderay’s next fiscal year.

There was little to-do and no verbal or written public commentary before council members approved the city budget, which goes into effect Oct. 1 and totals $2,285,248. Members also passed an ordinance boosting the mayor’s salary to $850 per month and council members’ salaries to $345 per month. That’s an increase from the previous salaries of $800 per month and $325 per month, respectively. In accordance with Idaho code, the payment increase won’t go into effect until the beginning of next year.

As with previous years, the Ponderay Police Department was one of the city’s biggest expenses, totaling $617,407 between wages and benefits, equipment, fuel and training costs. At $524,849, streets were another big ticket item due to several projects anticipated for the coming year.

Thanks to an infusion of grant money, the Ponderay parks and development fund experienced the most growth compared to previous years. The finances jumped from $328,397 this year to $735,446 in the coming budget cycle. That’s good news for the city, which has several park and recreation interests ahead of it, including the proposed purchase of the third Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail through grant funding and the potential development of the Field of Dreams.

Finally, Ponderay’s administrative expenses totals $322,396. The bulk of those costs come from the basic requirements of maintaining an office, including employee wages and benefits, office supplies, equipment and utility payments.

As agreed upon by council members, $81,000 in revenue from Ponderay’s tax on hotel stays will go toward supporting the Selkirks-Pend Oreille Transit bus system. The city paid $75,000 this year, but after the federal government increased local match-funding requirements for transportation grants, SPOT officials requested an increase in support. According to Mayor Carol Kunzeman, the investment was worthwhile thanks to the increased business traffic the system promoted.