City of South Lyon officials have completed what many to believe was the most smooth budget process in recent memory.

South Lyon City Council approved their 2018-19 Fiscal Year budget at their regular meeting held earlier this week. Without a full-time, permanent city manager, officials turned to the accounting firm of Plante Moran for help this year. This was the first budget process for Mayor Dan Pelchat, who was elected last year. Pelchat said the city’s bookkeeper and the Plante Moran representatives did an incredible job of breaking down the budget to help him grasp it. He noted that City Council had had problems getting the budget done in the past, but that this was enjoyable experience and they are done with it a month early.

The budget was approved for just short of $6-million, and will grow the general fund balance to $2.73 million. Millage rates were approved for a total of 16.6707 mills. 15.2338 of that will be used for city operation and debt, with the remaining being an additional non-city millage for the library. Mayor Pelchat said the biggest challenge in drafting the budget was making sure the money is being assigned to where it can work best for the city.

He recognized infrastructure problems locally and nationally, and the need to be able to explain to citizens why there money is being spent more in some areas than others. South Lyon’s new budget year begins July 1st. (MK)