Healdsburg City Council had its first chance to see what the Measure V survey says during a staff report at its Feb. 12 meeting.
The council directed staff to move ahead with the recommended distribution of the special tax funds. Funds are provided by a half cent sales tax.
Measure V was passed to provide tax money for specific purposes in town. Each year, a survey is distributed to see what sectors residents feel need the most funding. The survey includes four categories to prioritize and an Other section.
The categories are Streets Maintenance, Public Safety, City Facilities and Economic Development.
This is the last year for Measure V funds unless council places it on next year’s ballot and it is approved again by voters.
Street Maintenance was the largest vote getter this year at 40 percent. Public Safety garnered 21 percent, City Facilities took 11 percent and Economic Development had 9 percent.
According to Administrative Services Director Heather Ippoliti, the city is projected to have $2.106 million allocated in its 2019-20 budget. The is estimating the fund will close the 2018-19 year with $999,036.
Staff recommended 50 percent of the money spent for Street Maintenance, 31.4 percent on Public Safety, 11.2 percent on City Facilities and 7.4 percent on Economic Development.
This allotment is in line with past spending by the city. Council put 59, 60 and 50 percent into streets in 2018-19, 2017-18 and 2016-17, respectively.
This year the percentage in dollars for streets is roughly $1 million. Preventative maintenance to paved areas takes up $850,00 of that budget. The rest is proposed to be used in bike projects, which will include extending lanes and performing a study on how to increase routes best.
Public Safety has varied in the past but is proposed to continue to be a source to pay salaries for a police officer at $114,257 and a dispatcher at $87,373.
This is in addition to three vehicles at $171,000, two firefighters at $204,422 and radio and paging systems for $85,000.
City Facility projects include an ADA pathway for city hall at $62,500 and repairs to the Villa at $62,000.
Economic Development’s biggest payment will go to the Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce at $100,000. Low-income utility discounts and Latino outreach total another $55,898.
There is also an ongoing rental rehabilitation program, which has $15,000 allotted to it.
As the category was being explained, Councilman Joe Naujokas invited chamber Executive Director Carla Howell to the podium to explain what the chamber does with its funds.
The chamber will use this money to continue workshops for business and possibly add evening times, according to Howell. The workshops are held during lunchtime and Howell said the chamber may try to hold Spanish ones as well.
The city has yet to determine when and if Measure V will go back before voters. Council will receive updates to projects in the measure’s purview as they progress.
