(KLZA)--No one from the public attended the Falls City Council's public hearing on the proposed Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget Monday afternoon at City Hall.

Following the hearing during which City Administrator Anthony Nussbaum provided information on various aspects of the proposed budget, the Council approved the budget on a 5-0 vote.

Mayor Mark Harkendorff, Council members Don Ferguson, Kaylie Ractliffe and Carla Rhodd were not in attendance for the special meeting. The special meeting had to be held because figures for the City insurance package were not supplied until after the Council's regular second meeting of the month on September 16th.

The Council approved an operating budget of $24,881,677 which is $870,466 or four percent higher than the previous years budget. The property tax request for Falls City property owners will increase one-percent to $782,750 which is $9,090 more than last year.

The property tax levy will actually be four-percent lower than the previous year at 40.4161 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.

The valuation of property in Falls City increased six-percent this year to $193,672,997.

The Council did approved the transfer of $800,000 from the Capital Improvement Fund to the General Fund for Fiscal Year 2024-25.

During his review of the proposed budget Nussbaum noted that $50 thousand was included for the Housing Abatement / Demolition Program and $15 thousand to continue the sidewalk improvement program.

Other noteworthy details include plans to eliminate the second and third shifts at the Falls City Power Plant but keeping the number of employees at the current number of 6. There usually are eight employees. The decrease in workers will be accomplished through attrition.

There are also plans to fund two additional employees for the water distribution crew.

Of the total disbursements and transfers in the adopted budget, $3,430,192 will go toward Streets and Public Safety which includes Police and Fire.