levels of fund balance in enterprise funds. Initiatives include replacement of a mini excavator, replacement of two 2011 F-250 Utility Service Trucks, and replacement of high service water pumps at the City’s water production facility. Public Safety capital funds are anticipated to leverage City funds with support from outside organizations or grants. Planned improvements to the City’s firing range, which is utilized for Police Department training, will be mostly funded by donations from outside organizations and the Fire Department plans to apply for a federal grant to acquire over $230,000 in funding for purchasing air-packs. Strengthening the Community Against the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic While the City Council prepared the 2021 budget during the summer of 2020, careful attention was paid to the current and future impacts of COVID-19 on the community and larger economy. As the immediate and on-going impacts of COVID-19 became increasingly clear, a difficult decision was made to cancel Tonganoxie Days and the 2020 Summer Water Park season in accordance with CDC, KDHE and additional regulatory guidelines. Starting in June 2020, COVID-19 financial relief was requested while plans were developed on a national, state and local level. $59,400 was awarded through the CDBG-CV small business relief grant program in July 2020. In addition, $387,310 of the $1,049,157 in funds made available through the CARES Act was also spent on small business relief grants. Other CARES Act funding was used in the remainder of 2020 for initiatives including reimbursements for PPE, facility enhancements to promote public health and additional personnel costs associated with COVID, enhanced online learning opportunities for the community, enhanced municipal services thru telework and tele-meeting improvements, accounting and grant administration assistance, OT for essential City workers, and food pantry support. Besides financial assistance and initiations in 2020, the 2021 budget was designed with conservative revenue projections and plans for major infrastructure projects that could be evaluated again in light of the performance of the local and national economy. Surprisingly, sales tax revenue collections trended steady or even advanced compared to budget estimates for 2020 during the pandemic conditions, which can be assumed to be the result of many more personal decisions being made to shop local or order products online instead of traveling to shop elsewhere. Other major revenue sources continue to hold steady and local development activity has remained strong. Conclusion While the annual budget document relays the prioritization of the City’s various assets, programs and services, it is equally important to acknowledge the critical roles of the City Council’s leadership and policy vision, the efforts of City employees to deliver services and manifest that vision, and the larger Community’s engagement with their local government to help develop key programs and initiatives. Many thanks to all those involved in supporting the overall efforts of the City of Tonganoxie, and I very much look forward to continuing towards the strategic vision in 2021. Respectfully submitted,
George Brajkovic City Manager
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