Wadsworth City Council on Tuesday adopted a $99,169,494 budget for 2013. The amount budgeted for 2012 was $98,714,090.
Electricity takes up more than one-third of the total budget. For electricity, the budgeted amount for 2013 is $35,952,308. The city has its own electricity distribution system through which it sells electricity to subscribers after purchasing it wholesale through AMP-Ohio.
The city has decreased its electricity usage in the last two years by instituting a number of programs and steps to conserve electricity and promote efficiency.
Other items in the budget include the general fund portion, with a budget of $11,996,262. This includes the offices of the auditor, city council, law director, mayor, municipal court, safety director, service director and treasurer.
Recreation is budgeted $455,536; streets, $2,416,874; storm water, $1,423,121; emergency medical services, $1,902,305; sanitary sewers, $5,984,038; water, $7,313,214; sanitation, $2,638,441; health insurance retention, $3,692,183; and Wadsworth Community Television, $377,345.
Other items in the budget include parking lots, court computerization, community service programs, municipal court improvements, indigent drivers alcohol treatment, weed abatement, abatement of public nuisance, probation services, grants and special assessment funds.
Also adopted was a new salary schedule for city employees for 2013. The salaries range from $23,473 yearly for entry level clerks to $123,462 for the maximum professional grade.
The council approved contracts with the police sergeants, patrol officers and communication officers. Safety Director Matt Hiscock said the department members are expected to vote on the contracts Wednesday.
