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A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
3
April 19, 2012
B
ELLEVILLE
- R
OMULUS
Museum programs planned
More than two years into a five-
year budget projection for the gen-
eral fund, the City of Romulus is
right on track.
Despite a loss of revenue and
continuing challenges, the city
should be able to eliminate a pre-
dicted budget deficit and maintain
an undesignated fund balance of
about 10 percent of annual rev-
enue by the 2016-2017 fiscal year,
said Finance Director Debra
Hoffman.
When the city formed its ACT
Now task force in 2009, administra-
tors had forecast a $20 million
deficit during that same time
frame.
“Wemade a lot of changes and a
lot of structural changes within the
last two years,” Hoffman said. “We
needed to take action and we took
action. We're not quite there yet,
but we're $21 million closer and
that, in my opinion, is a fantastic
accomplishment.”
“Not a lot of other people can
say what we're saying tonight,”
added Mayor Alan Lambert.
“Every department cut what they
could cut. Everybody pitched in. I
want to thank everyone for helping
out.”
It was the first council study ses-
sion for the 2012-2013 budget. That
budget still shows some challenges
due to a continued loss of revenue,
according to Hoffman. She's fore-
casting a 12.8 percent reduction in
revenue from declining property
values that will contribute to a
more than $1 million reduction in
the general fund budget. Even so,
she said the city would have about
$1.7 million in undesignated
reserve at the end of the budget
year, a reduction from the $2.4 mil-
lion it currently has. She said the
goal was to get that to about $2 mil-
lion, or 10 percent of the general
fund budget, but end of the 2016-
2017 budget year.
She said she hopes the economy
is starting to turn around; after the
2012-2013 budget year, she said
she's predicting only a 3 percent
loss in property values and expects
theywill be flat after that.
“It's going to take a long time for
taxable values to enough to sup-
port the services we previously
had,” she said.
There may be other challenges
ahead, too. There is legislation
pending in Lansing to eliminate
personal property tax as a way to
help spur business development
and expansion. The state shared
revenue program has been cut by
two thirds to about $200 million
statewide and replacedwith a pro-
gram called the Economic Vitality
Incentive Program (EVIP), which
municipalities in Michigan have to
compete for, showing best business
practices such as transparency and
inter-governmental cooperation.
Romulus received about $1.825
million in state shared revenue
last year and will receive about
$1.8million this year.
“We used to just get it, now we
have to jump through hoops to get
it,” said Council President Leroy
Burcroff, who added that the city is
already doing some things that
make it eligible for the funds.
“It's just working together, real-
ly,” he said. “The state is driving it,
but we've beenproactive.”
The budget as proposed shows
an increase in membership fees at
the Romulus Athletic Club (RAC),
but the exact amount isn't known
yet. It also shows increased rev-
enue from the police department
and court system through an
enhanced traffic enforcement ini-
tiative.
‘Animal Bowl’ is rolling along
Class of 1992 to reunite
A 9-pin No Tap Tournament is
planned at Romulus Lanes beginning at
7:30 p.m. Friday May 11 to benefit the
newRomulus Animal Shelter.
The event is dedicated to thememory
of Frank Ayers and registration will
begin at 6:30 p.m.
The cost is $25 per person which
includes mystery games for both men
and women, snacks and cash prizes.
There are only 72 spots available so
early registration is suggested. There
will also be prizes and a 50/50 raffle.
For more information, or to make
reservations, call Romulus Lanes, (734)
941-6200, Councilman Bill Wadsworth,
(734) 941-0616 or Joe Ozog, (734) 941-
3466.
Tickets are on sale now for the first lec-
ture of The Belleville Area Museum and
Historical
Society's
Civil
War
Sesquicentennial Commemoration Series.
The lecture, entitled, Michigan in the Civil
War, will be given by Al and Dave Eicher at
themuseumat 2 p.m. onSaturday, April 21.
Ticket prices are $8 forHistorical Society
members, seniors, students and $10 for non-
members and include admission to the Civil
WarExhibit.
Limited seating available. Appetizers
and refreshments will be served.
Reenactors from the 4th Michigan
Volunteer Infantry will also be in atten-
dance.
The museum is open from 3-7 p.m. on
Tuesdays and from noon until 4 p.m.
Wednesday throughSaturday.
The 2012 Civil War Sesquicentennial
Commemoration Series is hosted by the
Belleville Area Museum and sponsored by
the Belleville Area Historical Society and
the Belleville Downtown Development
Authority.
Other planned 2012 Civil War
Commemoration Events include the Civil
War Exhibit which will continue from April
12 throughNov. 3.
At 6 p.m. June 2, the museum will spon-
sor a Civil War Gala at Trinity Episcopal
Church and from6-8 p.m. June 21, therewill
be a Genealogy Workshop with Jana Sloan
Broglin, When Johnny Comes Marching
Home
Light appetizers and refreshments will
be served.
Tickets for this event are $3 forHistorical
Society members, students and seniors and
$5 for non-members.
Belleville High School Class of 1992 20-
year reunion will take place from 7-11 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 15 at Emagine Theater-Star
Lanes inRoyal Oak.
Tickets must be purchased before Sept. 1
andwill not be available at the door. The cost
is $50 per person before June 1 and $55 per
person after that date.
For more information, access our
Facebook event page "Belleville High School
Class of 1992 Reunion" or email tolliver-
amy@gmail.com.
Every department cut what they could cut.
Everybody pitched in.
I want to thank everyone for helping out.
”
Romulus budget reduces predicted deficit