City looking to cut costs
Posted on Wednesday, May 14, 2008
DECATUR ó City council members discussed the need to reduce expenses at Mondayís meeting even though the city received a positive report from the state auditor.
City administrator Kim Beggs said the city has already drawn $ 40, 000 out of itís contingency fund for the year to pay bills, but has repaid $ 20, 000. Council members looked at ways to reduce expenses, such as lowering the number of city cell phones and cutting back on the number of miles driven in city vehicles. To add to financial concerns, Mayor Bill Montgomery gave council members copies of a letter from Black and Decker that said the Decatur plant will be closing permanently. It stated that reductions will begin June 23, and the plant should be closed by August 8. Montgomery voiced concerns that the closing would further affect the cities finances. He pointed out that sales tax revenue could go down because of the Black and Decker employees loss of income.
Despite the concerns, Montgomery told council members the state auditor finished the audit for 2004, 2005 and 2006 and the city did well, with the exemption of a few minor issues. He said the auditor was pleased with the way the city had stayed on budget.
In other business, Council members approved Everette Berryís survey of the property he purchased from George Robinson. Berry surveyed the property in order to split it into three lots as a part of the easement agreement he is working on with the city.
The survey also required the signature of the planning and zoning committee chairperson, Trip Lapham. City attorney Tom Smith explained that the council had to approve the survey in order to make it a legal document because Berry was asking to split the property.
Council members voted to increase pool rates for the 2008 season. The new rates are $ 2 per child age zero through 12, and $ 3 per adult age 12 and up. The daycare price is $ 1 per child. Seasonal pool passes are $ 70 per family per year. Pool parties of one through 25 people with two lifeguards will cost $ 60 and parties of 25 to 75 people with three lifeguards will cost $ 100.
The council also voted to allow Beggs and Montgomery get rid of old electronics as they see fit. The city plans to give old electronics to the Decatur Pawn Shop for repair and resale and to have Tri-County waste pick up the rest of the items at no charge.
Council members decided to table a proposal from the Chamber of Commerce for the purchase of new Christmas lights. The proposal called for the chamber and the city to each contribute $ 1, 500 towards the purchase.
Linda Martin suggested the city should hold off on the purchase since they were concerned about finances. Members also suggested the chamber could raise more money from local businesses for the lights.
The council also voted to raise the city employeesí mileage reimbursement from 32 cents a mile to 50. 5 cents a mile. City officials said that very few employees are reimbursed for mileage, and only when they go on business trips.
City officials also discussed the need to get rid of old financial records. Beggs said the city is storing records as far back as the 1970 s. She asked the state auditor for guidelines on how long records should be kept, and found that journals, ledgers, subsidiary ledgers, minutes and fixed asset and equipment detail records should be kept for at least seven years.
Support documents such as canceled checks, invoices and bank statements should be maintained for at least three years and should not be disposed of prior to auditing.
Council Members agreed that minutes should be kept permanently, and Montgomery suggested the city should hire a company to shred the unneeded documents.
James Boston reported the groundbreaking of the new wastewater plant was scheduled for June 6 and construction was expected to begin on June 16. He said one half million pounds of sludge had been compressed and removed from the treatment plant and a man from Kansas was paying $ 6 a ton for the sludge to spread on his cornfields.
Police Chief Terry Luker brought up the issue of fireworks. He suggested that fire works should be legal on the third and fourth of July. Current ordinances make it illegal to sell or shoot off fireworks in the city limits.
City council members decided to have Smith draft an ordinance that would allow fireworks on the third of July from noon until 10 p.m. and on the fourth of July from noon until midnight.
Luker also reported the police department gave out 52 warnings for inoperable vehicles and over half of them have been removed.
Fire Chief David Flynt reported that the Benton County Quarterly Fire Meeting hosted by Decatur went well. He said firefighters took blood pressure readings at the Assembly of God health fair.
David Cook reported the State Forestry service donated 400 three-foot-tall oak trees to the city parks department. The city has passed 150 of the trees on to the school.
He said the ATV Rodeo went well, with 26 entrants. The mud pit was a huge hit, he said.
Cook said the parks department was preparing for Bulldog Days and all vendor packets had been sent out, with a few packets and deposits already returned.
Cook said the fee for the school to use the baseball and softball fields at Veterans park had been lowered to $ 600 because rainy weather had prevented them from using it as much as they planned.
Cook also brought up the need for a Parks and Recreation Committee chairperson, and council members voted to appoint Cook as the new committee head.
Montgomery said that Nan McClain and Darleen Holly have volunteered their time to set up a tent and take donations on Memorial Day for the ongoing care of the cemetery.
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