City managers outlined their goals and financial plans for fiscal year 2015 at city council’s first discussion of the new budget last night.

The city has budgeted for about an eight percent revenue increase and a four percent expenditure increase for fiscal year 2015. That means they’d go into the year with a surplus -- $10.2 million in the general fund.

The draft of the budget doesn’t include any capital funding yet. It also doesn’t account for a potential increase to the local contribution to the state retirement fund. The state is expected to decide on that plan later this month.

Each city department submitted its own budget and a list of goals as part of last night’s discussion. That included faster EMS response times for public safety, and better electronic record-keeping for the city clerk. Meanwhile, the Parks, Culture and Recreation department is looking to sign an agreement in 2015 to run the Ounalashka Corporation’s bowling alley.

City council also heard the first draft of the Unalaska City School District budget for 2015. It includes $2.8 million in local funding, and $4.3 million from the state. That’s for an expected enrollment of 407 students.

The draft school budget is based around a potential $85 dollar increase to the base student allocation. The increase is currently in talks in the state legislature. It could wind up being much higher, or it could come in the form of a general one-time funding boost. Whatever the legislature decides will impact how much local funding the city can give to its schools.

City council also approved a $2 million contract for Northern Alaska to build the Summer Bay Road Bridge replacement. Northern Alaska is an arm of Northern Mechanical Construction. They were the only company to bid on the project, though they had four bidders for the subcontract on the actual bridge construction.

The Qawalangin Tribe is paying for about half of the project with a federal grant. The city hopes to have work going by July.

Council also approved two ordinances after a public hearing at last night's meeting. One means the wharfage fees at the Carl E. Moses Small Boat Harbor will be assessed on a per-ton basis. The other adds a state grant to the water treatment plant project budget, and shifts some city funds from that area over to the powerhouse project.