-
Your Government
-
- City Council Boards & Commissions Public Meetings & Minutes Municipal Code City News
- Departments Administration Building City Recorder Elections Engineering Finance Human Resources Library
- Departments Municipal Court Parks & Recreation Planning Police Public Works Reservoir Project Urban Renewal Utilities
-
-
Our Community
-
- About St. Helens History of St. HelensGeneral Fund InformationState of the CityCourthouse Dock Camera
- Local Events City Calendar Community Day in the Park13 Nights on the RiverIndependence Day Celebration Spirit of HalloweentownRecreation Activities Sand Island CampingKeep It Local CC
- Community Resources City Newsletter City Social Media Emergency Services New Resident InformationProtecting Our EnvironmentClass IV ATV Use
-
-
Business & Development
-
- Local Business Directory Get a Business License City Bids & RFPs Broadband Study
- Business in St. Helens St. Helens Advantages Directions & Transportation Incentives & Financing Resources for Businesses Business Guide Columbia Economic Team Chamber of Commerce
- Current City Projects Waterfront Redevelopment Public Safety Facility Strategic Work Plan
-
-
How Do I?
-
- Apply for a Job Apply for a Committee Find A Park Find COVID Info Find Forms Follow St. Helens - Facebook Follow St. Helens - Twitter Follow St. Helens - YouTube
- Get a Police Report Get a Business License Get a Library Card Get a Building Permit Newsletter Signup Past Public Meetings Pay My Water Bill
- Public Records Request Report a Nuisance Register for Rec Activity Reserve a Park Sign Up for the 911 Alerts Universal Fee Schedule
-
General Fund Information
The General Fund is the City’s primary operating fund. It accounts for all financial resources that are not required to be accounted for in another fund. Revenues and expenses are tracked through this fund.
What does the General Fund pay for?
The General Fund pays for the following services:
- St. Helens Public Library
- Storytimes, preschool outreach, science and art programs, Teen Advisory Board, Makerspace with 3D printers and other equipment, books, DVDs, audiobooks, online resources, free use of internet and computers, job search and resume support, programs for adults, official St. Helens Cooling Center, room rentals, and more.
- St. Helens Recreation Program
- Administers and staffs afterschool programs in all St. Helens School District elementary schools in partnership with the School District, CPR certification classes, youth basketball, youth Summer Camps; safe sitter, home alone, and early learning classes; Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) activities, open play, teen workforce experience.
- St. Helens Police Department
- Patrol services, detective division providing investigations for complex criminal cases such as adult and child sexual abuse, child pornography, elder abuse, murder, fraud, welfare checks, and dispatch response.
- Parks Maintenance
- Maintains 138 acres of dedicated parks in St. Helens, including playgrounds, ball fields, walking trails, Veterans Memorial, an outdoor amphitheater, covered pavilions, and restrooms.
- City Recorder and Human Resources Services
- Processes public records requests, facilitates City Council, boards, and commissions meetings, custodian of official City records, contract management, job hiring, onboarding, and offboarding employees, policy compliance.
- Administration
- Oversight of all City departments and divisions, coordination between staff and City Council, Community and Economic Development projects, management of major City projects such as the police station and Waterfront Redevelopment, communications, coordination between regional partner agencies, tourism contract management, special use permits.
- Finance
- Citywide financial services including payroll, accounts payable and receivable, annual budget development and management, annual audit preparation, bank and credit card management, utility billing staff and software, business licensing program (including liquor licenses), grants reporting, debt compliance reporting, state and federal compliance reporting.
- St. Helens Municipal Court
- Prosecution services for misdemeanors and violations including DUIIs, reckless driving, and thefts, collection of monetary restitution for victims, conducts jury trials.
- Planning and Building Divisions
- Review and issue land development and building permits, site inspections, project development meetings, technical assistance for developers and property owners, manages City’s GIS system, long-range plans to help navigate the City’s future.
- Information Technology
- Oversees purchasing and management of all City technology.
General Fund Stats and Property Tax Overview
The following information is based on 2025 numbers.
It costs $12.3 million to run the City's General Fund services.
The City receives approximately $2.17 million in property taxes.
In addition to property taxes, the rest of the General Fund (85% of it) is paid for through franchise fees, State shared revenues (i.e. cigarette, marijuana, and alcohol taxes), and service fees such as park reservations, recreation fees, business licenses, permit fees, and internal service fees.
The below images are available in a larger version at the bottom of this page as a flyer.
General Fund Service Levels
These statistics are based on 2025 numbers.
- 93,709 Library items circulated
- 112 public meetings held
- 300 hours of Recreation afterschool program care
- 254 misdemeanors processed by Municipal Court
- 327 building permits issued
- 1,493 police reports generated
- 38,036 visits to the Library
- 318 plan reviews completed
- $315,000 in grants and sponsorships secured by Recreation
- 17,396 police calls for service
- 857 business licenses issued
More statistics can be found in the General Fund flyer below.
