John Scarffe, Nederland.   The Town of Nederland Board of Trustees finalized the Town’s 2016 budget process during the regular meeting on Tuesday, December 1, 2015, at 7 p.m. at the Nederland Community Center. The overall budget calls for total expenditures of $5.78 million across all funds, a 6.9 percent increase from the 2015 Budget, primarily due to increases in capital spending and increased staffing costs with the Board’s commitment to the living wage initiative.

Town Administrator Alisha Reis said the Town has been talking about the 2016 budget since August 18. “We’re just excited to get here,” said Reis, pointing out that 46 percent of the budget is in personnel funds to deliver services. “We’ve put together a good balanced budget for 2016.”

The Board conducted work sessions to study budget figures related to operations, capital projects, staffing and outside agencies requests on September 22 and Oct. 13, according to background information. A budget retreat to discuss prioritization of budget items and staff compensation took place on October 8.

A public hearing of the budget was conducted on October 20, and updated information was presented on November 3. The latest review of the budget was conducted by the Board on November 17, offering minor changes to the Board’s discretionary funds, according to background information.

In the November 17 Board packet, information was consolidated from all public comment received during two public open houses, the October 20 Public Hearing and several calls for public review and comment. Recurrent themes of these comments included recommendations to further tax marijuana (particularly cultivations); to support youth and family projects, as well as housing; requests for additional attention paid to roads funding; continued support for community initiatives, such as the food pantry, clothing closet and special events, and requests for park improvements.

No additional information related to the budget was received after the November 17 regular Board meeting. The budget includes the Nederland Downtown Development Authority, after the NDDA Board of Directors recommended adoption of its budget at the November 18 meeting.

The budget for the Fiscal Year begins January 1, 2016, and ends December 31, 2016. Estimated anticipated revenues from all sources total $4,674,445, and anticipated use of reserves total $1,106,203, for a grand total of $5,780,648. Estimated expenditures are the General Fund at $2,740,782, the Conservation Trust Fund at $16,000, the Community Center Fund at $478,564, the Water Fund at $1,197,441, Sewer Fund at $1,012,095, the Downtown Development Authority Fund for $23,860 and the Downtown Development Authority TIF Fund at $312,380, for a total of $5,780,648.

The Board also received a resolution to set the Town’s mill levy. The amount of money necessary to fund the Town of Nederland budget for general operating purposes including bonds and interest is $1,566,782, according to the resolution, and the amount of money necessary to fund the Nederland Downtown Development Authority operating budget, is $23,386.

The 2015 net assessed valuation for the Town of Nederland as certified by the Boulder County Assessor is $24,320,294, according to the resolution, and the 2015 combined base and incremental assessed valuation of the Nederland Downtown Development

Authority as certified by the Boulder County Assessor is $6,103,519.

For the purpose of meeting all general operating expenses of the Town of Nederland during the 2016 budget year, the Town levies a gross mill levy of 17.274 mills upon each dollar of the total valuation for assessment of all taxable property within the Town of Nederland.

The Board also received a fee schedule for 2016 and a resolution to support a living wage for Town staff members. According to the living wage resolution, the Nederland Board of Trustees recognizes the importance of professional, committed Town staff to the provision of public services to the Nederland community and understands that the cost of living in Boulder County, and particularly in Nederland, has increased significantly in the past few years.

The Board declares that it finds a living wage important to the attraction and retention of quality staff members to serve the community, according to the resolution, and has determined, through research of the local economy, that it costs roughly $40,000 per year to support housing, transportation and other basic needs in Nederland, and the Town wishes to set an example to all employers that a living wage is important to the sustenance of a community.

Trustee Kristopher Larsen said he thought $40,000 is a good starting point for a living wage, and Trustee Charles Wood pointed out that one concern is to be sure Nederland is competitive with the region in the specialties the Town needs. Larsen thanked the Town staff for going above and beyond the duty and being accepting of the Board’s suggestions.

The Board approved the 2016 budget and the resolutions establishing the fee schedule, mill levy and commitment to a living wage. For more information about the budget go to

http://nederlandco.org/board-of-trustees/2016-budget/.

The Board also voted to cancel the second meeting in the month, December 15. The next meeting of the Nederland Board of Trustees will be on Tuesday, January 5, 2016, at 7 p.m. at the Nederland Community Center.