City of Huntsville Finance provides midyear budget update
Published on May 26, 2022
Mayor Tommy Battle and the Huntsville City Council received a midyear budget presentation during the Council’s regular meeting Thursday night.
Director of Finance Penny Smith delivered a brief report on proposed changes to the Fiscal Year 2022 budget , which the City improves upon throughout the year to meet current challenges and opportunities.
“This is a short-range view or a ‘spring cleaning,’ if you will, to ensure that we have taken care of our house,” Smith said. “This includes correcting or changing for the needs of our departments.”
Originally adopted during a time of economic uncertainty, the budget now reflects current revenues and expenditures to create a more holistic picture now that conditions have stabilized.
Smith reviewed revenue collections and stimulus funding to date and shifts in City expenditures. Highlights include:
- Budget increases for Fire & Rescue equipment
- Increased funding on IT hardware/software across departments
- Funding transfer for Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) health care for retirees and self-insurance health care for current employees
- Increased funding to address the rising prices of fuel for City vehicles
- Advertising costs for City’s redistricting process
