City Manager Ed Thatcher’s Update: FY 2022-2023 Budget Process
City of Mount Pleasant Administrative Assistant Team:
From left: Regina Reynolds, Building & Development; Hollie Motley, Police Department; Annie Trout, Administration; Dana Davis, Fire Department; Myliam Grumet-Thomas, Utilities & Public Works; and Sundi Jackson, Finance.
It’s been a busy year for the City, and I want to take this opportunity to recognize and thank the Administrative Assistants serving in each Department.
They really help make things tick around here as we work on projects and serve the citizens of Mount Pleasant. One of the big items the past few months has been working with City Council to develop a budget for FY 2022-2023.
We thank Mayor Tracy Craig and the Councilmembers for all the extra time they invest to prepare a balanced budget for citizen input. You can view the draft FY 2022-2023 Budget here.
Citizens can give input on the budget during a Public Hearing on September 6, 2022, at 6:30 in the Council Chambers at City Hall. The City Council will take final action to adopt the budget at its September 6,2022, meeting, also at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. The adopted budget will be effective October 1.
The City of Mount Pleasant proposes to decrease the rate in FY 2023 from .3620 to .360285 a .0047% decrease. This is the third consecutive year the City’s tax rate has been lowered. In previous years, the City maintained a tax rate of 0.3712 for two years and maintained a rate of 0.3437 four years prior to that.
The completion of the Strategic Plan last fall helped decide the direction of the budget this year in accordance with the will of the citizens and stakeholders who gave input. The budget continues important investments in our water, sewer and streets infrastructure as well as enhancements to the quality of life through park investments including the renovation of the Civic Center, the opening of the new Community Center at Oaklawn Park, and façade grants for our Downtown Main Street merchants.
We also believe it is important to be able to recruit and retain valuable staff by ensuring competitive compensation rates. A compensation study was done in FY 2021 and staff were given a market adjustment and brought onto the new compensation plan. (Employees did not receive a raise for FY 2021 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.) In the proposed FY 2023 budget year, staff including Police and Fire personnel will be placed on the new plan that was developed in FY 2021 and given a market adjustment based on Inflation.
Again, we thank everyone who has contributed to this process, including the citizens we serve. If you have any questions, I always welcome your calls or email at 903-575-4000 or ethatcher@mpcity.org.
Ed Thatcher – City Manager
Mount Pleasant City Council:
Above: (Back row L-R) Councilmembers Sherri Spruill, Jerry Walker, Galen Adams and Henry Chappell, II.
(Front Row L-R) City Manager Ed Thatcher, City Mayor Tracy Craig, Sr. and Mayor Pro Tem Tim Dale.
City of Mount Pleasant Financial Accomplishments
The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the City of Mount Pleasant for its Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020.
The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.
“This is both the first time the City has applied for this respected certification, and the first time it has been awarded to the City,” said City Manager Ed Thatcher. “It’s a rare accomplishment, as most cities do not get the award on first-time submissions.”
“I want to thank and recognize our Finance Department, led by Miykael Reeve, and our City council for their excellent work that led to this achievement. We will continue to submit our annual financial reports to the GFOA for review and certification.”
The City of Mount Pleasant’s financial report was judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report.
Additionally, The City’s bond ratings provide evidence of its financial strength. In April 2021, the City received an upgrade rating of AA by S&P Global Ratings. In April of 2021, the City received a rating from Moody’s of A2. This indicates excellent investment quality.
