Happy “New” Year!

When you think of New Year’s Day, many images likely come to mind. Baseball season is long over. Temperatures outside are chilly, at least in the early morning. The sun sets well before most of us sit down to eat dinner.

For Irving Flood Control District Section III, our fiscal year runs from October to September, so October 1st is the District’s New Year’s Day. That means that much of the District’s work in preparation for our new year actually starts near the beginning of summer. Operational and Maintenance expenses (typically referred to as O&M costs) from the recent past are reviewed and considered in identifying costs for the coming year, according to various plans and projections. Budgets for special projects – some new for the coming year and others being continued from the previous fiscal year – are created or updated, as well.

During the summer, District team members prepare an initial draft budget. By August’s board meeting, the IFCD3 board is equipped with a forecast of how the current budget year will end and what resources will be needed to support the draft budget. The board then uses this forecast to publicly announce the anticipated tax rate for flood control services to support the upcoming year’s work within the District. Once all budget and tax data has been reconfirmed, the board provides a final approval of the tax rate during the September board meeting.

Just like the annual budget that your household or business may be completing as you’re getting ready to ring-in the New Year, IFCD 3’s budget planning process is only half of the task of being good stewards of taxpayer dollars. Throughout the rest of the year, the board and the District’s colleagues at the Dallas County Utility and Reclamation District (DCURD) – providers of the technical and administrative services that facilitate day-to-day IFCD 3 operations – monitor the quantity and quality of all work, confirming that budgets are being carefully followed to maintain the District’s reputation for efficient, effective operations.

Want to stay connected with Irving Flood Control District Section III? Our website provides a wide range of both historic and current information on flood control in Valley Ranch, and updates are available through IFCD 3’s Twitter feed and Facebook page.