In the first public hearing on the 2018 Ocean Shores city budget, citizens largely had questions about spending priorities, particularly several new administrative positions being proposed in the preliminary plan.

Kathryn Sprigg implored the City Council on Oct. 30 to take a look at the economic impact the budget has on people with fixed incomes. Of particular concern is the proposed increase of emergency services rates, yet to be approved in a separate measure to the budget by the council.

“Many of your constituents are concerned that they don’t have enough money coming in each month to pay their rent, to afford food for their families and pay for their perscriptions,” Sprigg said. “Asking citizens to pay double the current monthly charge for the EMS utility fee puts too much burden on already stressed elders and struggling families.”

For the 2018 projected city budget, total revenues and transfers into the budget are forecast at $7.4 million, with requested appropriations and transfers out projected at $7.6 million, along with a projected beginning balance of $1.75 million. That is expected to leave the city an ending balance of $1.5 million at the end of 2018.

Don Williams, quoting 2012-2016 numbers from the mayor’s budget letter, noted city general fund revenues have increased by 12 percent, while uses have increased by 15.5 percent.

“I’m interested in putting money into things we have already, especially the roads and finding ways to solve issues with the emergency care fund,” Williams said.

However, he questioned the need to hire a city administrator, a facilities manager or a marketing director for the Convention Center.

Williams suggested holding off on the decision to hire a city administrator until 2020, and the facilities manager “is just not a priority for me. It’s a want, not a need. The conceptual planning for a new city hall, I’m opposed to that too.”

He was referring to a requested $20,000 in the budget for conceptual planning for a new city hall proposed on property the city purchased this past year across from the Fire and Police stations on Point Brown Avenue.

Randy Peck noted that the revenue figures presented in the budget equate to “starting off with a loss of revenue of about $18,000.”

“You don’t have much wiggle room,” he said. “This needs to be gone through with a find-tooth comb to really look at things to see where we are at and how we are moving forward. There are a lot of wants.”

Both Peck and Williams also said they were not in favor of a budget item of $25,000 to start a three-week summer youth program in conjunction with the school district.

“We really need to buckle down and say what are our priorities,” Peck said, citing the condition of roads as one of the critical concerns. “You really need to think about the numbers and what your wants are.”

The next City Council meeting is Nov. 13, at which there is expected to be another public hearing. The city must adopt the 2018 budget by Dec. 31.