On Monday night The Manitowoc Common Council unanimously passed the 2023 Executive budget. Mayor Nickels said a priority in this year’s budget was to take care of the City employees, saying, “a lot of my focus on this budget was on employees, how we can retain our good employees, how we can be attractive to folks that want to come work for the City of Manitowoc, so there is a 5% increase across the board for non-represented employees. We’re also looking at making some policy changes to allow for more flexibility in work schedules”.
The overall tax rate for city services will be going up by 2.2-percent; Mayor Nickels said that was due to increases in many areas “Our road salt increased just under $100,00 from last year, fuel increased over $300,000, gas is going up $77,000, just everything, all those things that all of us are facing”.
Mayor Nickels said it was a difficult budget but, this again will reduce the general fund debt “some big things in the budget including “1.3 million dollars for parks which is a huge increase over last year, we are doing pickle ball courts, Lincoln Park tennis courts; Mariners Trail upgrades, Union, Riverview drive and Westfield parks are all getting redone. We have money for downtown again to continue beatifying. And this is the 14th executive budget that has been present that reduces our general fund debt this year by about $673,000.”
The Mayor added he is excited to implement so many improvements to help the quality of life in the city.
