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City of Pleasanton Operating Budget • FY 2023/24 - FY 2024/2511 <br />Staff is conducting a comprehensive water rate study. The results of the water supply study, together <br />with anticipated operating and capital funding needs, will be examined through the rate study to <br />determine the level of adjustments needed. This study is anticipated to be completed in early FY <br />2023/24, and recommended rate adjustments, along with corresponding budget amendments, will be <br />presented to the City Council. <br />Storm Drain <br />Similar to the Water Utility, Storm Drain Utility is also experiencing a funding gap issue where operating <br />costs are higher than the revenues. To cover this funding gap, the General Fund has been providing a <br />subsidy annually to cover some of the deficit. The General Fund will contribute almost $1.9 million over <br />a three-year period from FY 2022/23 to FY 2024/25. However, even with this subsidy, the Storm Drain <br />Operating Fund is projected to have a negative ending fund balance of $0.9 million in FY 2024/25. <br />Revenues have remained mostly static at just over $0.5 million for several years while operating costs <br />have been increasing each year. Staff is exploring options that will increase revenues to fully fund the <br />Storm Drain operation. <br />Service Level Changes from FY 2022/23 <br />The proposed budget reflects limited enhancements to bridge service gaps and increase operational <br />efficiencies. Proposed staffing adjustments will result in a net increase of 1.0 full-time equivalent <br />(FTE) for FY 2023/24 and additional 1.5 FTE for FY 2024/25 in the General Fund. It should be noted that <br />0.5 FTE of the Police Officer position is funded by a state grant. One additional FTE, Sustainability <br />Coordinator, will be fully funded from a non-General Fund. These adjustments are the result of a <br />careful assessment of the current staffing model for all departments and identifying areas of need <br />based on community priorities. In order to minimize an increase in staffing costs in the General Fund <br />while addressing staffing needs, two existing positions, ERP Coordinator and Senior Accountant, in <br />the Finance Department are proposed to be downgraded to Junior Accountant and Administrative <br />Assistant positions. <br />Due to the projected deficit in the long-term forecast, the proposed full-time positions are not effective <br />until January 1, 2024 or January 1, 2025. This strategy will provide the City the flexibility to defer filling <br />new positions should economic or financial conditions change within the next two years. <br />Increased service levels included in the budget are primarily in the area of recreation, arts and library <br />services that were reduced during the pandemic. This proposed service increase represents an <br />ongoing effort to meet the needs of the community based on the community’s input and current year’s <br />participation data. <br />A half time limited-term Human Resources Manager, as well as additional temporary staffing funding <br />of $150,000, has been added to Human Resources to manage increased workload in the areas of <br />employee and labor relations activities, recruitment, organizational training, and other personnel- <br />related engagement. <br />A Chief Diversity Officer position has been added to the City Manager’s Office, to be effective January <br />2025. This Chief Diversity Officer will lead the implementation and ongoing support of the City’s <br />Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Action Plan. As a Council priority, this position will help the City to <br />establish appropriate benchmarks, programs, policies, and implementation strategies. $100,000 in <br />consulting services is also included in the FY 2023/24 budget to support the DEI program.