News
Few changes regarding city's budget
Thelma Grimes/San Pedro Valley News-Sun
There was a common theme among department heads Monday night as they presented their budgets to the Benson City Council - there are few changes.
The recession is hitting every budget from the state and schools to cities and counties. With less revenue, most departments will have the same funding or less in the coming 2009-2010 fiscal year.
The council discussed the budget for about 90 minutes Monday night, ahead of approving a tentative budget during a special council meeting on Tuesday, May 26. The regular council meeting May 25 was cancelled for Memorial Day.
The budget for the new fiscal year, which begins July 1, is expected to be about $17.9 million, about $700,000 less than the current year's $18.6 million.
The department with the biggest increase is finance, going from $251,280 to $279,597.
The salaries and wages in the department will increase from $123,325 to $141,877. The department exceeded this year's budgeted total by $4,000.
Cox said salaries are higher because 55 percent of the information and technology director's budget comes out of the finance budget, and two of his employees will be getting raises because their jobs have been reclassified.
In the coming fiscal year, the department also budgeted another $27,000 for what Cox said will pay for upgrades to the city's computer systems.
One area that will have little change in the upcoming year is personnel. Public Works Director Brad Hamilton continues to run the city's planning and zoning, building and parks and recreation departments.
The city has not filled the building official or planning and zoning positions since they were vacated.
With very little new construction, Hamilton said he felt comfortable that those positions could remain vacant over the next year. The city had 17 new home permits pulled in 2008-09.
All departments under Hamilton's direction will be decreased in the coming year.
The library budget was discussed at length. Peggy Scott, the library director, said they have had more visitors than ever this year, and noted that winter visitors are appreciative of the free Internet service that is available.
Vice Mayor Toney King said he is at the library a lot and has been impressed with how much the community uses it. The proposed budget had a $30,000 line item for purchasing new books in the coming year, but King said it needed to be more.
After some discussion, and Scott's saying she has used all of the current year's budget, the council decided to allot $35,000 for book purchases next year.
City Manager Glenn Nichols said one change to this year's budget is more assistance for economic development. There was no line item for economic development last year, and this year it will be set at $7,500. That is up from the city's original proposal of $5,000.
Nichols said some of that money will likely go to the Southeast Arizona Economic Development Group, which is asking the city for assistance in capitalizing on the solar power industry.
The City Council will discuss the issue during the May 26 council meeting.
If the tentative budget is approved as planned, the council will be required to hold a public hearing to get residents' input, and then will have to approve a final budget before July 1.
There was a common theme among department heads Monday night as they presented their budgets to the Benson City Council - there are few changes.
The recession is hitting every budget from the state and schools to cities and counties. With less revenue, most departments will have the same funding or less in the coming 2009-2010 fiscal year.
The council discussed the budget for about 90 minutes Monday night, ahead of approving a tentative budget during a special council meeting on Tuesday, May 26. The regular council meeting May 25 was cancelled for Memorial Day.
The budget for the new fiscal year, which begins July 1, is expected to be about $17.9 million, about $700,000 less than the current year's $18.6 million.
The department with the biggest increase is finance, going from $251,280 to $279,597.
The salaries and wages in the department will increase from $123,325 to $141,877. The department exceeded this year's budgeted total by $4,000.
Cox said salaries are higher because 55 percent of the information and technology director's budget comes out of the finance budget, and two of his employees will be getting raises because their jobs have been reclassified.
In the coming fiscal year, the department also budgeted another $27,000 for what Cox said will pay for upgrades to the city's computer systems.
One area that will have little change in the upcoming year is personnel. Public Works Director Brad Hamilton continues to run the city's planning and zoning, building and parks and recreation departments.
The city has not filled the building official or planning and zoning positions since they were vacated.
With very little new construction, Hamilton said he felt comfortable that those positions could remain vacant over the next year. The city had 17 new home permits pulled in 2008-09.
All departments under Hamilton's direction will be decreased in the coming year.
The library budget was discussed at length. Peggy Scott, the library director, said they have had more visitors than ever this year, and noted that winter visitors are appreciative of the free Internet service that is available.
Vice Mayor Toney King said he is at the library a lot and has been impressed with how much the community uses it. The proposed budget had a $30,000 line item for purchasing new books in the coming year, but King said it needed to be more.
After some discussion, and Scott's saying she has used all of the current year's budget, the council decided to allot $35,000 for book purchases next year.
City Manager Glenn Nichols said one change to this year's budget is more assistance for economic development. There was no line item for economic development last year, and this year it will be set at $7,500. That is up from the city's original proposal of $5,000.
Nichols said some of that money will likely go to the Southeast Arizona Economic Development Group, which is asking the city for assistance in capitalizing on the solar power industry.
The City Council will discuss the issue during the May 26 council meeting.
If the tentative budget is approved as planned, the council will be required to hold a public hearing to get residents' input, and then will have to approve a final budget before July 1.
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