Ocean Shores has begun the months-long process to adopt the city’s first two-year budget plan for 2019 and 2020. Staff budget reports continue at the Aug. 13 City Council meeting.

“We are really asking what are your priorities,” Mayor Crystal Dingler said at the final City Council meeting of July, when the city began the formal process leading toward the new biennial budget the Council approved in April.

Resident Kathryn Sprigg urged the city to adhere to its own water study planning document to “initiate a program to systematically repair pipelines. The pipelines around Ocean Shores are … over 60 years old.” She advocated for a pipeline replacement cycle, where at least one-tenth of the pipelines can be replaced each year over a 10-year period.

“The other thing I would like to see is a continued discussion on the low-income tax relief from the utility fees and taxes on the water bill,” Sprigg said.

Lillian Broadbent noted it was a lot more “fun” for the city to be looking at what priorities to fund “other than not going broke. I think it’s wonderful. However, I would like to see us move (to hire) a city administrator. This has been a priority. It’s been on the books since we changed the form of government. … It’s time. We’re growing, and we’re growing rapidly, and we need that day-to-day manager on site.”

Broadbent also said she wanted to make sure the city had the “staff that we need to service this number of people.”

“I’m sure our Public Works could use more staff, and our health and safety, our Fire and Police, are going to be looking at equipment and people in the near term. We need to stay up with that,” Broadbent said.

Jaqui Austin said she hoped some funding could be found in the budget to start an effort by the city to secure an urgent-care health facility for the area.

Richard Wills urged the council to continue work on the proposal to create sidewalks and bike lanes through the downtown core on Point Brown Avenue. He suggested making the street one-way as an alternative to be considered.

Wills said he read through the entire 2018 budget as an applicant during the Council replacement process for the seat previously held the late Bob Crumpacker.

“I read every page, and I keep hearing complaints about how the city mishandles or doesn’t spend enough money,” Wills said. “I keep responding, I think you guys are doing a dynamite job of deciding how to spend the money — what little money we have.”

Local real estate broker Jeff Daniel said he agreed with Broadbent about the need to hire additional staff to keep up with growth in the city. He commended the Council for, in the same meeting, approving a new permit technician to be hired because of the increasing number of new housing and construction permit applications.

“I represent numerous builders in Ocean Shores, and right now it’s taking the builders about five months to build a home in Ocean Shores, where years ago it would take them three. Part of the problem is it takes them so long to get permits issued from the city,” Daniel said.

“One position added to the permit center is not enough. I think the city needs an additional building inspector.” Daniel said he believes if the permit process is streamlined, then “more people can realize their dreams, move to Ocean Shores and build their homes.”

Alex Suarez said she believes there is “a lot of enthusiasm for the high dunes trail,” which has been proposed for the outer dunes starting at Damon Road and eventually running south as far as Marine View Drive. It would be used both as firebreak and fire access route, but also a public access trail above the main beaches of Ocean Shores. The city has completed a feasibility study and has targeted final design and construction to begin next year.

Suarez also urged the city to find a way to cut down on the number of properties being clear-cut of all vegetation.

Larry Comparone encouraged the city to keep focusing on road improvements and “fill in that gap” that will exist whether or not the Proposition 1 sales tax for roads is passed in the primary election: “Even if we do pass the sales tax, the money won’t come in until 2019 or 2020, so it would be good to have that funding move forward through the city general fund.”

Biennial Budget schedule

•Aug. 17: All department budget requests due to Finance Director (Statutory Deadline Sept. 24)

• Aug 20–Sept. 28: Finance Department compiles proposed Preliminary Budget

• Aug. 27: Staff reports on budget issues at Council Meeting

• Sept. 10: Staff reports on budget issues at Council Meeting

• Sept 28: Proposed Preliminary Budget due to Mayor (Statutory Deadline Oct. 1)

• Oct 1 – 3: Mayor meets with staff to make revisions to proposed Preliminary Budget

• Oct 12: Preliminary Budget finalized and delivered to Council (Statutory Deadline Nov. 2, 2018)

• Oct 18, 2018: City Council Study Session on 2019-2020 Budget. Convention Center – 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

• Oct 22: Council public hearing on 2019-2020 Budget (Statutory Deadline Nov. 5)

• Oct 22: Council public hearing on revenue sources for setting tax levies

• Oct 22: First reading of 2019 Tax Levy Ordinance

• Nov 13: Final public hearing on 2019-2020 Budget

• Nov 13: Second reading of 2019 Tax Levy Ordinance (Statutory Deadline Nov. 30)

• Nov 13: First reading of the 2019-2020 Budget Ordinance

• Nov 13: Lost Tax Revenue Resolution

• Nov 26,: Second and final reading of the 2019-2020 Budget ordinance and adoption of budget (Statutory Deadline Dec. 31)

• Jan 31, 2019: Publish 2019-2020 Budget document

• Oct 28, 2019: Mid-biennial proposed budget modifications due to City Council (Deadline Nov. 12, 2019)

• Oct 28, 2019: Council public hearing on mid-biennial proposed budget modifications (Deadline Dec. 9, 2019)

• Oct 28, 2019: Council public hearing on revenue sources for setting tax levies

• Oct 28, 2019: First reading of 2020 Tax Levy Ordinance

• Nov 12, 2019: Second reading of 2020 Tax Levy Ordinance (Statutory Deadline Nov. 30, 2019)

• Nov 12, 2019: First reading of mid-biennial budget modification Ordinance

• Nov 12, 2019: Lost Tax Revenue Resolution

• Nov 25, 2019: Second and final reading of mid-biennial budget modification Ordinance