Mayor says Celina finances sound

CELINA - Mayor Jeff Hazel says citizens and businesses can rest assured that their city government is fiscally sound, responsibly managed and dedicated to reinvesting in basic services and infrastructure.

"As passed by the voters in November 2015, a portion of that one-half percent supplemental income tax has been dedicated to the street program and will remain a top priority as we go forward," Hazel told council members at this week's regular meeting during his sixth annual state of the city. "We continue to pursue those opportunities - potential businesses or expansions that complement our community; federal, state, county and private grants; partnerships with area service clubs, businesses and certainly the individual donors that have donated both their time and their resources."

Looking back on 2017, Hazel said Celina, with a population of about 10,400 people, draws its strength as a community from its citizens and "the diversification with nearly 600 retail, wholesale, commercial and industrial enterprises within a mile radius of Celina."

"That's what provides that strong base for employment, tax revenues and all the growth and the potential for growth that we have," Hazel said.

Hazel particularly pointed to the Nov. 5 EF2 tornado that he said inflicted significant damage to Crown Equipment Corp.'s plant, which employs 1,000 people; retail businesses; restaurants; the Lakeview Village Shopping Center; homes; Eastview Park; and several thousand feet of electric lines.

"In spite of that damage, our community experienced no loss of life and businesses began immediately rebuilding," he said. "Most have been reopened already, and a few (are) just about ready."

Officials anticipate challenges and opportunities for Celina in the new year and Hazel said he's confident the city government, following sound business principles, will succeed.

"I just want to thank you for working with us, thank you for making this a great city to live, work and play in and I am certainly honored to serve our community," Hazel said.

Hazel also highlighted several other areas of city government during his lengthy address to council.

• Council passed a balanced budget for the sixth year in a row in 2017, which set aside $47.3 million for all funds with total anticipated revenue of $48 million.

• City officials reduced overall city debt by $4.57 million in principal and $294,000 in interest, reducing it to $15.9 million.

• The city collected a total of $6.07 million in income taxes in 2017, a decrease of about 1.6 percent from 2016.

• The fire department, manned by 16 full-time and nine auxiliary firefighters and operating under a $1.19 million budget, in 2017 made 1,452 squad runs and 370 fire runs. Fire loss for the year was calculated at $698,700.

• The police department, consisting of 16 officers and five dispatchers and operating under a $1.06 million budget, took 20,498 calls for service and issued 957 traffic citations and 1,693 warnings.

"The Celina Police Department has made several arrests in connection with drug trafficking and continues to work both independently and collectively with the county's drug task force," Hazel said.

• The public works department is responsible for all streets, sewer maintenance, water distribution, cemetery and parks maintenance and operated under a budget of about $1.23 million.

Crews responded to 32 water main breaks, down 54 percent from the previous year as a result of ongoing water line replacements.

• The city's parks saw major upgrades in 2017, entailing a $182,259 replacement of the aging turf and a $15,600 replacement of outfield water irrigation at Montgomery Field; a paved walking path through Westview Park; and a new $120,000 splash pad, two new shelter houses and pool decking at Bryson Memorial Pool.

• The city's engineering department oversaw all construction projects, including the street resurfacing/reconstruction program. Street work in 2017 involved resurfacing 5,890 feet of residential streets. Timothy Street, Farmview Drive, Pat Drive, Hoying Street, Lisle Street, Jefferson Avenue, Jackson Avenue and Zillah Street were completed at a cost of $302,976.

Hazel noted that 2,938 feet of water main was replaced under West Wayne Street from Main Street to Riley Street with full street reconstruction between Mill and Riley streets and complete resurfacing of 2,763 feet to Main Street at a cost of $725,758.

Also the East Livingston Street water line replacement project was undertaken with 5,220 feet of water main replaced from Main Street to Enterprise Street and included County Street, Fountain Street and Vine Street at a total cost of $575,599. Reconstruction and resurfacing will commence this year.

Phase 1 of the Harley Jones Rotary Memorial Amphitheater project was completed with grading and drainage improvements that included 990 feet of storm line with about 12,000 cubic yards of fill dirt at a total cost of $144,450.

• In economic development, Hazel pointed to the opening of the new C-Town Wings restaurant on Havemann Road, Dynamic Federal Credit Union's new $3.5 million facility at East Wayne Street and Havemann Road and Celina Tent's new 100,000-square-foot distribution center on State Route 29 and the addition of 12 to 14 employees.

Also, Dollar General constructed and opened a new store on West Logan Street, Cricket Mobile opened a retail store in the Lakewood Village Shopping Center, Studio H Salon opened on South Main Street, a new podiatrist office opened in a remodeled South Main Street building, Main Direction Boutique and Bliss Boutique both opened downtown and KOI Auto Parts opened a new retail store in Kessler Plaza.

• A total of 90 zoning/building permits were issued in 2017, including 14 new single-family homes and two duplexes, with an aggregate property investment value of $7.06 million.

• County voters elected Kathryn Speelman as the new municipal court judge. Judge James Scheer retired after presiding for 32 years on the bench. The municipal court received 4,911 traffic cases, 1,065 criminal cases, 88 small claims cases, 819 civil cases and seven parking cases. The court granted $96,268 in credit for community service to offenders.