Council went through each line item in the budget. The initial draft budget increased debt service tax from 6.25 mills to 12.75 mills; to cover 3 police cruisers, 1 parks department truck, street paving, Main Street lighting, fill the pool in Memorial Park, construct a pole building in the parks department and storm sewer repairs. Also included, but not reflected by the mills, were costs associated with the West New Castle Street Plaza and a parking study five year plan. The prior year surplus was $1,074,609.00.
Changes to the draft budget using debt service are as follows:
- Eliminate parks department truck purchase, pole building and purchase of one truck.
- Reduce purchase of police cruisers to one at the very minimum and revisit after CW Scott investigates other options.
- Parking and curb work for the W. New Castle St. Plaza will be done in-house.
- Main Street lights engineers’ costs in 2013, lights replaced in 2014.
- Storm sewer repairs to be a multi-year plan.
Council would like to keep additional debt service as low as possible.
Modifications were made to the General Fund budget. There are items that are not yet available.
A proposed, balanced budget and three enabling ordinances will be submitted to City Council on November 15th in accordance with the 2013 budget timeline.
Mayor Stock adjourned the meeting at 8:17 PM.
