CARTA, Library Are Among Winners In Kelly Budget

  • Thursday, May 15, 2025

CARTA and the Public Library are among those slated for significant increases in the "tight" Kelly administration budget for 2025-2026.

The library is slated for an extra $500,000. That would raise the city contribution from $7.3 million to $7.8 million.

CARTA, where officials have said it faces a "fiscal cliff," are in line to go from $5.8 million to $7,645,000.

Kevin Roig, the mayor's chief of staff, told City Council members that the mayor feels that CARTA "has historically been under-funded."

In contrast, CARTA last year got no funding from the county. This year CARTA has asked the county for help on several specific projects.

All the administration budget numbers are subject to change by the City Council, which has the final say-so.

The Department of Technical Services (IT) has a budget slated to rise in connection with a reorganization that is seeing seven employees and two contract workers out of a job. Overall, there are to be 25 more employees for a total of 83.

Administrator Gerald Neal said one continuing focus has been city police cameras scattered throughout the city that he said have been "up and down, up and down." He said the camera system is very complex and he is assigning a dedicated five-member staff to get them work correctly.

Mr. Neal said he is working closely on cybersecurity with the help of the private Fortress firm.

The City Commission budget is $996,657 - up $44,239. There are 12 positions, including the nine council members.

The city judge is at $638,307 - up $34,834. There are eight positions.

The city attorney's office is at $2.4 million with new positions including a paralegal and a legal office manager. 

 

 

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