CHEYENNE, Wyo. — On Wednesday, May 10, the City Council reviewed proposed 2024 budgets for the Engineering, Planning and Development and Downtown Development Authority.
Engineering
The Engineering Department provides construction plan review, engineering services for city projects, traffic services, GIS mapping and oversight of city construction services. The Engineering Department’s proposed budget is $1,503,736, roughly a 10% increase from fiscal year 2023. The changes are due to the following:
- A salary increase of $12,000, plus benefits, for the vacant staff engineer position in order to increase market competitiveness required to fill the position.
- A new part-time surveyor position, with an annual salary of $62,400, plus benefits.
- An increase of $31,200, plus benefits, to the temporary/part-time budget to hire a year- round intern, with the anticipation of the position becoming a full-time engineer in fiscal year 2025.
- A decrease in the telecommunications line item $1,400 as a result of actual costs in previous fiscal years.
- An increase in the maintenance budget by $2,000 for costs associated with maintaining equipment. These funds were transferred from the maintenance supplies budget.
- A decrease in copier expenses by $1,810 as a result of the city purchasing the division’s copier machine though one-time funding in a capital equipment line item instead of leasing.
- An increase in mall equipment expenses by $12,000 to purchase furniture and computer equipment for new staff.
Planning and Development
The Planning and Development department is responsible for long-range city planning and transportation planning. The department’s proposed budget is $1,062,789, a less than 1% decrease from fiscal year 2023. The changes are due to the following:
- A new Senior Planner position to be hired for nine months, or 75% of fiscal year 2024, with a salary of $58,650, plus benefits. It is anticipated this position will be fully funded in fiscal year 2025.
- A significant decrease in professional services expenses by $170,000 due to one-time reserves al- located in fiscal year 2023 to pay for county pocket annexations. The remaining unspent balance as of June 30 will be carried over to the fiscal year 2024 budget through a re-appropriation in September.
- An increase in computer software/maintenance expenses by $750 as a result of purchasing Geographic Information System, Adobe and BlueBeam software subscriptions for the new senior planner.
- An increase in the small equipment line item by $20,000 for the purchase of a new format scanner/ plotter as well as computer equipment and office furniture for the new senior planner.
- An increase in memorials and trophies expenses by $200 to pay for costs associated with the Le Clerqe and Jones awards.
- An increase in fleet fuel, labor and parts inventory expenses by $300 to reflect actual costs more accurately based on previous fiscal years’ expenses.
- A decrease in the core waiver fee reimbursement line item by $30,000 to be more reflective of actual reimbursement requests that occurred during fiscal year 2023.
Downtown Development Authority
The Cheyenne Downtown Development Authority, or DDA, which is a municipal authority, identifies, plans and executes ideas and initiatives that advocate for the enhancement of downtown Cheyenne.
This division was created in fiscal year 2023 through Memorandum of Agreement between the Governing Body of the City of Cheyenne and the DDA. As outlined in the MOA, the Cheyenne Planning and Development Department has assumed all responsibilities previously carried out by former DDA staff. The city will hire staff to provide necessary professional and administrative services required to assist the DDA Board in carrying out their goals moving forward. The DDA is requesting $208,292 for fiscal year 2024 to be used towards payroll expenses.
