The City of Gluckstadt’s 2023 budget will focus on continuing to build out the city’s necessary departments as it continues to develop and grow. Mayor Walter Morrison said their primary concerns regarding the budget this year are the police department, municipal court and the beginnings of a public works department.
In the last year, Gluckstadt hired its first police chief and continued to make police department hires, including an assistant police chief, future sergeants, and additional police officers, including the city’s first female officer. This month, the city also hired their first municipal court employees, which consist of the municipal court clerk, two judges and the city public defender. Retired Ridgeland Public Works Director Mike McCollum was also retained by Gluckstadt in their first year of incorporation to begin the makings of their public works department. These three departments will continue to be prioritized throughout Gluckstadt’s second budget year.
“These are the natural city departments we need to develop as the city develops,” Morrison said.
The tax levy will remain the same this year as last set at 12 mills with the city’s primary source of revenue being sales tax.
“Those revenues continue to surpass last year’s projections,” Morrison said.
This year, the budget doesn’t require the purchasing of the police department assets and equipment that was costly last year, but money for those purchases has been replaced with salaries for the new staff.
“We will have a full year of department staff salaries and associated municipal court salaries, which have to be budgeted and paid this year,” Morrison said.
Overall, their focus remains the same this year with developing the basic functions of city government.
“We don’t yet have the luxury of building parks or walking trails,” Morrison said. “First, we need to build a police station, fully staff the department and continue to develop our city administration.
“I feel really good about the budget. We are acting responsibly and doing those things required of a new city.”
