Merced City Council eyes $201 million budget

The Merced City Council could adopt a proposed $201 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year during the regular meeting Monday.

For the first time since 2008, the proposed budget includes raises for public employees and the addition of new employees. There will be time set aside to hear from the public during the meeting, according to the meeting’s agenda.

City Manager John Bramble is proposing the budget, which would be 3 percent larger than last year’s spending plan. The general fund has grown by 4 percent to $35.8 million, according to the budget.

After town hall meetings in Merced, the council decided its top four funding priorities are police, fire, economic development and recreation.

The proposed budget includes funding to add three new police officers, a dispatcher, a community service officer, two firefighters, a recreation coordinator and a zookeeper.

It also earmarks $374,689 for public works street projects, $135,000 for a camera that reads license plates for police use and $30,000 for a software program for police.

The most recent modifications to the budget would also fund a new $23,000 filtration system for McNamara Park’s pool and pay for an additional free swim program at a cost of $4,500.

The Measure C Oversight Committee approved the proposed budget in May.

Last month, youth advocates requested additional funding from the council. The $29,000 would go into the McNamara Park Youth Center, which is open to young people after school and overseen by a handful of nonprofits.

This story was originally published June 14, 2015 at 12:14 PM with the headline "Merced City Council eyes $201 million budget."