Coronado city employees will see on average a 3% pay bump on July 1, and money will be set aside for a new fire truck under a $67 million annual budget that received preliminary approval on May 23.
The Coronado City Council in a 5-0 vote gave the OK to City Manager Tina Friend’s proposed budget and financial plan for 2023-24.
The package includes two new positions: A full-time beach lifeguard for the Fire Department and a risk and safety senior management analyst for the Administrative Services Department.
Friend told the council that with 3 million visitors annually on Coronado beaches, the Fire Department needed some additional help. She also noted there wasn’t a single drowning in the past year. The new position will cost $80,000.
The city manager also said a new senior management analyst was needed to oversee risk management and manage liabilities for Coronado. This position will cost $147,000.
Saving for fire truck
And the budget will include $500,000 being set aside for a future new fire truck, which cost in excess of $1 million.
Further, the city has $64 million in its reserve or savings account in case of emergencies, such as a sudden reduction in tax revenues. That’s nearly enough to fund an entire year of city services.
“If something big were to happen, we are well prepared.”
-Coronado City Manager Tina Friend.
“If something big were to happen, we are well prepared,” Friend said.
Final sign off June 6
In addition to an increase in pay for Coronado’s 251 current full-time employees, the city offers a tuition reimbursement plan to its staff.
Coronado Mayor Richard Bailey and the four council members asked several questions of Friend and her staff during a more than 2 hour budget hearing, but overall gave her praise.
They also noted Coronado is a unique small city that has its own police and fire department as well as a library and lifeguards.
With no additions to the budget from the council, they will formally vote on it June 6.
