By Moses Leos III

Tabbing roughly $3 million in wastewater improvements was one of the first steps taken by the Kyle City Council as it begins to shape the fiscal year 2016 budget. 

It was part of the city’s first budget workshop, held Saturday at Kyle City Hall, which saw City Manager Scott Sellers ask the city council to prioritize FY 2016 budget requests from the city’s departments and the 5-Year Capital Improvements Plan.  

According to Mayor Todd Webster, it was done to get “an early jump” on the budget process. However, he said city staff is still “a long ways away” from completing the budget. 

But focusing on wastewater and drainage improvements was necessary. 

“These are old, longstanding issues that we haven’t addressed (in previous budgets),” Webster said. “We can’t wait any longer.” 

One of the big-ticket items tabbed by the Kyle Council is roughly $2.5 million that will go toward the Bunton Creek Interceptor project. The costs would fund two phases of the project, which would connect Kyle’s wastewater treatment plant to the Southlake Lift Station. 

Along with the CIP, the city council prioritized over $800,000 in non-CIP capital projects. Over $200,000 could go to equipment for public works. 

In addition, 51 new full-time position requests from the city’s departments were whittled down to 17.5. 

The number includes two new Kyle Police Department patrol officers – a number that was whittled down from the eight requested by KPD. Priority also went toward the hire of a building inspector, and a superintendent of street maintenance.