Warner Robins City Council approves budget, discusses homelessness app

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Warner Robins City Council was certainly not shy of topics to discuss during their June 20 council meeting, including strides towards the city’s ongoing homelessness initiative and approving their budget for fiscal year 2024.

During the council meeting, Council unanimously approved services with SimtechSolutions, for an app called “Show the Way.” With the application, users can see resources available for those experiencing homelessness.

The app was recommended to council by United Way and benefits both the city and community. The city can also gather data related to the overall scope of homelessness, enabling them to more easily qualify for grants.

When the issue was brought up during pre-council meeting about cities moving homeless populations to Warner Robins, Mayor LaRhonda Patrick explained that the concern is valid, and the app can provide insight into who is local and who is not.

Speaking with other municipalities, she said they share this concern.

Council discussed signage notifying citizens of summer school hours for Red Speed enforcement. Per an ordinance approved at the meeting, violations are only issued for posted school zone times. When the school year starts, the city will run a campaign reminding the public about the school zones.

During council meeting, the city also approved their budget for fiscal year 2024. Total expenditures are budgeted to be $158.7 million, with a top priority being employees, according to the mayor.

As explained during the June 5 pre-council meeting, the city has been working through a system where each position within will see a raise; raise amounts will vary depending on whether employees are already paid appropriately, so some raises will be higher to compensate.

Mayor Patrick reported during the June 20 meeting that funding has been found to ensure this.

“The most important part is the money is there,” Patrick explained. “The city of Warner Robins has been operating for decades with whatever we had, and a lot of people benefited from that, that did not consist of our personnel. So what we’re doing intentionally is making sure that our personnel is benefitting from the budget and tidying up other instances where money is leaking out of the city.”

She added, “Every employee of the city of Warner Robins is our responsibility, and I do not take that lightly. So I’m thankful to have council behind me, that supports the same mission and employees that have worked for us decade after decade, year after year.”

Due to the July 4th holiday, council will reconvene for their next meeting on July 17, and then on July 31. Supporting documents for this meeting can be found on the city’s website: https://www.wrga.gov/AgendaCenter

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