Big Cuts in Approved City Budget
Sarah Hasselquist
Posted March 26, 2006
The City Council unanimously passed the proposal for this year’s reduced budget at Thursday’s meeting.
The budget is seeing a major cut, going down from $2.4 million to $2.1 million, and the Ambulance Services, the City Attorney and the Parks and Recreation Department are taking the biggest hits.
“We had to cut,� said Mayor Smith, “because of shrinking revenues and the fact that a dollar just won’t buy what it used to.�
The Ambulance Services is seeing a cut of 80.5 percent, and the funding for this service is likely to be zero in next year’s budget, said the newly elected City Administrator Joan Bell. That does not mean that the city will be without an ambulance service. A private company will take over this service, said Bell in a phone interview.
“People can expect better and faster service for less cost in the long run [with the private ambulance company],� said Bell.
The Parks and Recreation Department’s cut is 13 percent. Some seniors citizens’ and children’s programs could be curtailed, but the council is looking for grants assistance to support most of the senior citizens’ programs. The city will also see a cut back in nature walks and pool lifeguard hours.
“We just can’t keep doing everything we’ve been doing,� said Major Smith. “It’s too bad.�
In other moves made by the Council:
• Joan Bell was appointed the City Administer in a unanimous vote. The position of the City Administrator is predicted to save money in that the Council has combined several services into this position.
• The appeal by the Flemishes to let their fence stand was denied in a 4-1 vote, as they built the fence two feet higher than the ordinance allows and without a proper building permit.
• Bruce Nii was denied a position on the Parks and Recreation Commission in a 3-2 vote. Bell was opposed to adding members to any commission at this time.
• The week of June 29 has been declared Safe Boating week by a vote by the Council of 5-0. The vote to discontinue the city-sponsored boating safety programs was 3-2.
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