Ross council approves budget for new fiscal year

The Ross Town Council has approved a 2024-25 budget of about $14.3 million.

The town’s general fund revenues are projected to top out at $11 million. Expenses are estimated to be $10.5 million.

The budget includes a capital improvement plan and tax-funded projects paid for with reserve funds. The capital improvement expenditures include $500,000 for utility undergrounding along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and Lagunitas Road and $250,000 for an ongoing facilities modernization project.

The council approved the budget at its meeting on June 13.

“The bottom line is, the budget before you is balanced,” Town Manager Christa Johnson said at the meeting.

Much of the council’s discussion focused on the increases to fire safety costs. The town is a member of the Ross Valley Fire Department, which also covers Fairfax, San Anselmo and Sleepy Hollow. The members make contributions as part of a joint-powers agreement.

The fire department expenses are budgeted at $3.2 million, 13.7% higher than the previous year’s budget. The increase was attributed to the hiring of the full-time fire chief and an administrative battalion chief; a transition to three-person engine companies; and the loss of command staff services from the Marin County Fire Department.

Councilmember Mathew Salter noted there would be savings from the pending closure of the Ross fire station and a lower contribution rate from the town.

“We need to figure out what the go-forward budget is going to be from Ross Valley Fire and what those savings are going to be and how those allocations should be changed,” Salter said.

Johnson said there are expected savings of about $300,000 over time.

The Police Department budget is $2.4 million, up 8.4% from this fiscal year.

Town voters passed a public safety parcel tax during the March primary. For the fiscal year, the parcel tax is set at $1,229.93, a 2.4% increase over the prior year. The tax will provide approximately $1 million to the town in the coming year.

The Public Works Department budget is $1.1 million for the 2024-25 fiscal year, a 6% year-over-year increase.

The Planning and Building Department budget of $1.1 million, 16% higher than the prior year, includes general plan update consultants and zoning implementation.

The Recreation Department budget is $843,000, or 0.5% more than this fiscal year.

Wages and benefits for the next fiscal year are 6.6% higher than this fiscal year, according to Johnson’s staff report for the Town Council.