Largest Annual Operating Budget Proposed to Corpus Christi City Council
City of Corpus Christi
CORPUS CHRISTI (News Release) - Yesterday, City Manager Peter Zanoni, presented the City of Corpus Christi's $1.2 Billion Fiscal Year 2022 Proposed Annual Operating and Capital Budget. The budget reflects the City's continued commitment to providing public services, programs, and infrastructure that enhance the quality of life for the citizens of Corpus Christi.
The budget addresses the Mayor and City Council's community priorities and focuses on basic city services. It provides investments in street reconstruction and maintenance, public safety, parks, and neighborhood services improvements while continuing to maintain strong financial reserves in the General Fund and other funds consistent with City Council-approved financial policies.
"The Proposed Budget for the City continues to address the Mayor and City Council priorities identified by the community. For the third year in a row, we are increasing investment in critical infrastructure and quality-of-life assets including streets, public safety, parks, neighborhoods, and our utilities (water, wastewater, stormwater, and gas)," City Manager Peter Zanoni said.
"One of the most important parts of the budget process is making sure that our residents' voices are heard. I want to invite everyone to participate in one of the five public meetings next month," said Mayor Paulette M. Guajardo. "Your City Council and I will provide proper oversight to deliver to our residents a balanced budget that supports the needs of our growing community."
Highlights of the Proposed 2022 Budget include:
Streets
$121.5 million in street maintenance and reconstruction, a 56 percent increase over the current budget.
$2 million for a third in-house street rehabilitation paving crew composed of 12 positions and new equipment
$750 thousand for Safe Route to School program to rehabilitate citywide sidewalk infrastructure near education centers
$880 thousand for Vision Zero enhancements and internally illuminated LED street name signs
Police
Funding for ten new police officers, five more than were planned. Increases the plan by adding five additional police officers for a total of 30 instead of 25 officers over five years.
Replace 250 in-car mobile data computers
Upgrade to Public Safety Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) and Record Management System (RMS)
Crime Scene mapping drone package
Funding for construction of a new Police Academy Complex at Del Mar South campus
Fire
Funding for eight new firefighter positions to create an additional medic unit placed at Station 17 (Yorktown)
Replacement of three medic units and one fire pumper truck
Purchase of additional medic unit, potable water tanker truck, and Hazmat Material Response Unit
Funding for construction of a replacement Fire Station #3 located at Morgan Avenue
Parks & Recreation
$2.9 million budgeted for numerous one-time capital improvements at ten area parks
$100 thousand for the design of monuments highlighting the five branches of the military at Sherrill Park
Funding for an additional 230 shade trees throughout City parks
Addition of eight swim instructors to expand the summer swim instruction program
Purchase of 16 vehicles to modernize the Park and Beach operations fleet
Marina
Marina Master Plan
Marina Breakwater Assessment
Funding for the reconstruction of Peoples Boardwalk
Funding for dredging as part of the pier replacement project
Replacement of fencing and gates at the dry storage area and replacement of large, roll-up door on the Haul-Out Facility
Replacement and additions of signs throughout the Marina
Two additional dockhand positions to support the Marina 24/7
Bayfront
Upgrades to Seawall and Miradors lighting
Seawall event programming
Facility improvements to the Art Center and Art Museum
Phase 1 design for Art Center Revitalization
Neighborhood Services
Four full-time Animal Care kennel techs and the addition of two vehicles
Two additional live release coordinators
Additional veterinarian position
Five additional code enforcement officers
Additional funding for demolition of properties that have become dangerous from sudden acts such as fire and natural disasters
Funding for fee waivers for non-qualifying infill housing properties
Libraries
Increased building maintenance at all six City libraries
Assessment and initial exterior improvements at La Retama Library downtown
Solid Waste
No residential rate increase
Addition of two positions for Litter Crew
Addition of four positions and garbage trucks to create two new garbage routes and one recycling route
Addition of four positions and equipment to create an additional brush and bulky crew
Development Services
Capital improvements to the first and second floors of the Development Services building
Addition of two Building Inspectors
Addition of three Compliance Inspectors for non-scheduled inspections
Modification of fees that have not been adjusted in over a decade
Airport
Capital improvements to the terminal building
Expansion of cell parking lot
Addition of four Parking Operations positions
Water
$112 million over the next three years to replace and repair water distribution lines
Capital improvements over the next three years to rehabilitate and upgrade the O. N. Stevens Water Treatment Plant totaling $145 million
Two additional positions for maintenance of the Mary Rhodes pipeline
Wastewater
Addition of eight positions for Wastewater Treatment Plant preventative maintenance activities
Capital improvements over the next three years to repair, rehabilitee, and upgrade all six Wastewater Treatment Plants totaling $118 million
Stormwater
Remove stormwater from the water rate and create a new equitable fee structure
Five-year program to upgrade stormwater infrastructure, increase street sweeping, and improve bay, estuary, creek, and river water quality
Gas
Addition of seven positions to support the meter replacement program
Additional of eight positions to support infrastructure replacement program
Purchase of 17 vehicles and machinery to modernize the fleet
Utility Rates
Wastewater – Proposed rate increase of $1.97 a month for an average residential customer with a 5000-gallon winter quarter average
Water and Stormwater – Net-zero proposed increase to the average residential water customer using 6,000 gallons a month: Water will decrease by $6.12; Stormwater will increase by $6.12
Gas – No proposed rate change
The City will hold community public meetings in each district to solicit input from residents on the proposed budget. The meetings will provide brief opening remarks and a budget video, with most of the time reserved for a question and answer session.
All meetings begin at 6 p.m. for the following dates:
Monday, August 9 District 1 Owen Hopkins Library
Wednesday, August 11 District 2 Lindale Senior Center
Thursday, August 12 District 3 Water Utilities – Choke Canyon Room
Monday, August 16 District 4 Ethel Eyerly Senior Center
Wednesday, August 18 District 5 Veterans Memorial High School-Teaching Theater
The 2022 Proposed Budget in its entirety can be found at: www.cctexas.com/financial-transparency and https://www.cctexas.com/budget2021
