FINANCE

How is our city budget organized?

Our budget document is organized into five specific fund classifications: General Fund, Major Operating Funds, Other Funds, Refuse Fund, and Enterprise Funds.

The first three (General, Major Operating, and Other Funds) cover our General City Services (everything but refuse, water, sanitary sewer, and stormwater utilities). The Enterprise Funds cover all operations related to water, sanitary sewer, and stormwater utilities. The Refuse Fund operates similarly to an Enterprise Fund and covers all refuse operations.

How are the Refuse, Water, Sanitary Sewer, and Stormwater Funds different than the General City Services Funds?

Enterprise Funds function like a business but are intended to operate at a break-even point rather than at a profit. Customers are billed for services provided. Under Ohio law, Water, Sanitary Sewer, and Stormwater revenues cannot be used for any purpose other than to provide water, sanitary sewer, and stormwater services to the residents and businesses that use these utilities. Our Refuse Fund operates like an Enterprise Fund.

The General City Services funds are comprised of all other funds that provide public services to the community and may be subsidized in whole or in part by General Fund revenues such as property and income tax. Some examples of General City Services are public safety (police, fire, and emergency medical services), street maintenance and repair, city parks and natural areas, and the operation of the Oakwood Community Center.

How do the Refuse, Water, Sanitary Sewer, Stormwater, and General City Services Fund Budgets function?

From a budgetary standpoint, our Refuse, Water, Sanitary Sewer, Stormwater, and General City Services operations are separate and unique. All costs involved in refuse collection and disposal are paid for by our residents and businesses that use our program. All of the costs involved in producing, treating, storing, distributing, and billing for our public water system are paid for by our residents and businesses that use the water. All of the costs involved in operating and maintaining our sanitary sewer system and the costs we pay to Dayton and Montgomery County for the treatment of our wastewater are paid for by the residents and businesses that use our sanitary sewer system. And, all of the costs we pay in operating and maintaining our storm sewer system are paid by the monthly fees charged to each Oakwood property owner. None of our general tax dollars (e.g., income tax, property tax) are used to pay for any costs related to the refuse, water, sewer, and stormwater utilities.

Have we been prudent with spending public funds?

Yes. The increases in spending since 2015 are due in large part to higher capital costs. In 2016, we spent $475,000 to build a 230-space parking lot at the Old River Sports Complex. This new parking lot serves our existing grass athletic fields and Lane Stadium. In 2017, we spent $1,270,670 on the Shroyer Road Reconstruction Project, of which $762,402 was reimbursed through federal transportation dollars. In 2018, we spent about $800,000 on the Shafor Park Tennis Court Facility project, of which $200,000 was reimbursed by the Oakwood Schools. In 2019, we spent an additional $240,000 on concrete street repairs and paid off long-term police and fire pension liability totaling $422,137. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is reflected in 2020. Several projects were postponed, and many programs and activities at the Community Center were cancelled or significantly changed, resulting in a decrease in expenditures. 2021 capital expenditures include approximately $400,000 for the recycling center and $260,000 for the building of a storage building at the public works center.

2022 capital expenditures include $333,000 for the Gardner Pool deck replacement project. 2023 includes $939,765 of expenditures for the Far Hills Stormwater Reconstruction project. The monies used were received from the Federal American Rescue Plan Act distributions. 2024 includes $1.2M for the Far Hills resurfacing.