The City of Marathon voted on Sept. 22 to hold the same millage rate (2.59) for the fourth year in a row. However, the amount of taxes collected increases alongside property values by 5.15%. The tax rate will generate $7.3 million in revenue for the general fund and the city’s final operating budget is $97.3 million.
Included in the budget is 3% merit raises for city employees.
“Because they are merit based, that doesn’t mean everyone will receive them. We have an evaluation system that we established last year and put in use this year. The department heads have until Oct. 1 to finalize the raises,” said City Manager Chuck Lindsey. Lindsey also referenced a wage study and said some salaries will increase by more than 3 percent — for example, permit tech salaries. “We need to bring those folks up to the level they deserve. We need to fill those positions and if we can’t pay people to afford to live down here, then we can’t fill the positions.”
Marathon’s finance director, Jennifer Johnson, projects the city will see a $700,000 decrease in sales tax due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The sales tax is the primary revenue stream for the Capital Infrastructure fund.
Some notable items in the capital budget include:
- $415,000 for a fire truck and sprinter ambulance for the fire department.
- The first of 30 $177,833 payments to pay for maintenance of the Old 7 Mile Bridge improvements.
- $331,000 for the kayak launch and restrooms at Sunset Bay Park on Grassy Key.
- $660,000 to replace moorings in Boot Key Harbor.
- And, $1.2 million for bridge repairs, mainly in the Coco Plum area. Staff expects reimbursement of $800,000 with the state Department of Transportation and to pay the remainder with proceeds from the gas tax.
Councilman Mark Senmartin also called for a “shade” meeting — private, council only — to discuss in-depth the city’s cybersecurity given the recent ransomware attack.
