BEAVERCREEK — During the Beavercreek State of the City/Budget presentation recently, the city manager set out some budgetary goals for the future and reviewed the year 2016 and what improvements were made to the city.

The financial department was working on the 2017 budget since last summer.

2016 Accomplishments

Offiicials presented the 2016 Accomplishments:

• OPEN checkbook online

• First Annual Job Fair

• Redesigned INTOUCH magazine

• Increased social media presence

• Increased volunteer efforts

• Adopt-a-park/ Community efforts

• Highest attendance at 9/11 event/ 15th Anniversary of 9/11

• Resurfaced 15 linear center road miles as opposed to six in 2014

• Curb replacement of 9,100 feet

• Storm sewer replacements were in conjunction with the road widening project

• 12 snow events

• Police hosted successful open house and participated in several community events promoting safety.

• Ongoing successful Citizen’s Police Patrol program

• Police Department exceeds department standards by receiving the KLEA Accreditation Award for another year and has since 1998.

• The financial department received the Auditor of State Award with Distinction. Only 5% of the departments in Ohio receive this award.

• Continues to apply and receive the areas highest amount of grant money, including funds for the annual 4th of July celebration.

“We are still much reliance on property taxes to the tune to almost 50 percent, but we are see a lot of conjunction efforts with other communities so that helps as well,” City Manager Michael Cornell said. “Twenty-seven percent of budgets consist of budgets, government funds, hotel fees and other contractual funds and other services. We will not be anticipating receiving any additional funds from the State of Ohio. We do not anticipate any additional revenue from Estate taxes. In the glory days we were seeing $820,000 in estate taxes and that is going to the past – still get some in but nothing like that now.”

Cornell said that with time, residents will see property taxes slowing down momentum because property taxes don’t grow as fast as income taxes do. As far as aide from the State of Ohio, he said to expect not receiving a lot less. Because of this, the city has had to make some pretty hard choices in the past, but he believes the city is now on track with that issue.

Officials also presented plans for 2017.

• Police department will be restructuring the crime lab and the process of how things get logged for identification purposes for BCI.

• Eliminating the outsource work of INTOUCH and keeping the work in-house.

• Redevelopment of abandon shopping centers. Plans are to be presented to council in the first or second quarter.

• New zoning regulations

• Replacement playground equipment at existing parks such as Spicer Heights.

• Infrastructure and maintenance continuing throughout 2017.

• Continuing to aggressively search and apply for available grants.

Beaverceek City Council meetings are held every second and fourth Monday at 6 p.m. in the city building.

By Danielle Coots

For the News-Current

Danielle Coots is a freelance writer for Greene County News.