After a 10 minute public hearing Monday on the 2020 Ellsworth city budget, members of the Ellsworth City Council closed the budget hearing and moved on to the regular meeting. There were no comments made or discussion during the hearing, from either the council or the handful of city employees present.

It wasn’t until well into the regular meeting that the budget was approved as presented.

“We’re just trying to keep it consistent,” city administrator Scott Moore said.

The total proposed budget for 2020 is $9,785,900 — down slightly from the $9,936,000 total budget in 2019. The mill levy for 2020 increased from 75.517 mills in 2019 to 75.936, which Moore noted was not a major increase in the total mills levied.

Moore said he thought the city had enough cash on hand to do some projects that need to be done.

“I think this budget is built to do that,” he said.

Moore said the proposed mill levy for 2020 will continue to allow the city to address the city service areas and service delivery outcomes as efficiently as possible and direct the city administration to seek public/private partnerships and development initiatives.

The priority services areas are the airport long range plans, community and economic development, debt obligation, drainage, equipment replacement, infrastructure upgrades, park, pool and recreation enhancements, street improvements, technology enhancements and water and sewer preventive maintenance.

"We’re just trying to keep it consistent."
Scott Moore
Ellsworth City administrator