Fruita City Council Adopts the 2024 City of Fruita Budget

During the regular City Council meeting on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, the Fruita City Council formally adopted the 2024 Municipal Budget. The budget includes $27.3 million in projected revenues (excluding transfers from other funds and other financing sources), and $33.8 million in proposed expenditures between all funds. 

The City of Fruita focuses on improving the quality of place, lifestyle, and economic health of Fruita while providing excellent core services to the community. To implement this mission, the City of Fruita has multiple guiding documents, including the comprehensive plan, master plans, community surveys, and the strategic plan. Each annual budget is built off these guiding principles to help meet the goals and priorities of the Fruita community.

Highlights from the 2024 budget include continued investments in Fruita’s infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and sidewalks, downtown improvements, trails, parks, and more. In 2024, the city has $6 million budgeted to expand 19 Road, which includes widening and adding a through turn-lane, a pedestrian path, drainage improvements, and more. Other projects for street infrastructure include road overlays, chip sealing, street striping, and sidewalk safety improvements. Fruita’s downtown is the heart of the community, with many local events, shopping, and restaurants. Improvements to the downtown core will include the installation of a self-cleaning bathroom to provide additional options during special events and throughout the year, additional parking, improvements to S. Mesa Street between Circle Park and Highway 6&50, and installation of artwork in the Mulberry Plaza. In 2024, Fruita residents will have access to symmetrical gigabyte internet service after completing the Broadband Middle Mile project. Lastly, continued investment in Fruita’s trails, parks, and overall beauty is certainly a priority for the community. Visitors of the Snooks Bottom Open Space will see new vault toilets, the Fruita Bark Park (dog park) is slated for more amenities, design work for the Colorado Riverfront Trail Underpass at Highway 340 and the Colorado River will occur in 2024, and more finances have been invested for property cleanup and resources to help keep Fruita clean and beautiful.

“The annual budget is one of the most important documents for the Fruita community. It is the guiding document for Fruita City Council and staff to help implement the priorities the community has showcased through the various community-led planning documents we utilize daily. We take pride in accomplishing these community priorities, and the 2024 budget takes us one step closer to implementation.” – Mike Bennett, City Manager.

The 2024 Adopted Budget reflects the commitment of the City Council and staff to achieve a balance of a conservative fiscal policy while also allocating time, talent, and resources to defined areas of Fruita’s Economic Health, Quality of Place, and Lifestyle.

In 2023, the City of Fruita was recognized by the Government Finance Officers Association and awarded the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. The award recognizes entities that have achieved the highest standards of clarity, accountability, and fiscal responsibility in public budgeting. To learn more about the City of Fruita’s 2024 Annual Budget, visit Fruita.org/2024budget.

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Media Contact: Ciara DePinto, Communications and Engagement Specialist, cdepinto@fruita.org, 970-858-3663

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