It’s still early in the process but according to Sedona Fire District officials, they already have a good handle on what next year’s fiscal budget will look like.
During a Feb. 16 workshop, SFD Finance Director Gabe Buldra presented the governing board with a preliminary look at the Fiscal Year 2021-22 budget. Additional workshops will be held in March and April with the draft budget presented on May 18 and the final budget up for adoption on June 15.
“Sometimes we can rubber stamp a budget, fiscal year after fiscal year, but we don’t key into what the true needs are,” Chief Jon Trautwein said. “We really look carefully to make sure that as we get closer to seeking approval from the fire board that it really is accurate to the district’s needs.”
He went on to say, “I look at every dollar, as the fire chief, and I ask myself, ‘How can I use that dollar in the most effective and efficient way?’ We know we answer to the community and know that we have a limited number of dollars. We also know it’s critical in the public entity that we’re transparent about that dollar. But we also work very, very, very hard at making sure we use that dollar where it should.”
In terms of next year’s projected budget — which is again expected to be balanced — it shows an increase of 4.91% over the current one. As it currently stands, the budget comes in at $19,717,944. Of that, salaries and benefits make up the bulk of the budget at $15,017,325. Also included is $2,826,275 in operating costs and $1,350,000 in capital improvements.
“We spend a lot of time determining what the actual needs are to serve the community and ensure we have a balanced budget,” Buldra said. “We constantly try and manage costs and expenses but unfortunately things keep going up. We’re always managing those costs and trying to find ways to save money where we can.”
