At a Eureka Springs City Council workshop Monday afternoon, Finance Director Lonnie Clark led aldermen through a draft of the proposed 2019 budget, and on the last page, the final number showed a projected net of revenue from all funds for next year of $946,619 compared to the projected 2018 net from all funds of $649,293. Although the document was a draft aldermen had seen for the first time, projected net revenue for the city was encouraging.
Clark pointed out the that fire department is expecting a reduction in overtime pay compared to 2018 of $50,000 which Clark attributed to Fire Chief Nick Samac adjusting schedules. Alderman Terry McClung was skeptical that number would hold by year’s end, but Mayor Butch Berry noted both the fire and police departments have been diligent at staying within budget constraints for the past three years. Clark stated overtime had been a real budget buster for ESFD in years past.
Alderman Bob Thomas wondered why projected revenues for licenses increased from $46,000 this year to $65,000 in 2019. City Clerk/Treasurer Ann Armstrong said there had been an increase in licensing lately but not enough to project a 40 percent increase. Clark said he arrived at the estimate by extrapolating figures from August, 2017 through September 2018.
Clark pointed out Carroll County Solid Waste Authority has had trouble selling its collected glass to an end user, thus projected a decrease in revenue from $7500 to $4200 next year.
Berry pointed out a new line item included in the proposed budget was $25,000 for sidewalk repair and rehabilitation. He said Building Inspector Bobby Ray could determine a sidewalk was hazardous and the property owner would be responsible for the repair. The owner would have a certain amount of time to make the repair, but if the owner does not comply, the city would use the sidewalk repair fund to make improvements, and a new ordinance before council would provide a mechanism for the city to recoup the expense by placing a lien on the property.
Alderman Tom Buford noted the city established a list of sidewalks needing repair before Berry became mayor, but little to nothing has been done with the list. The group suggested a prioritized rating system based on the degree of the hazard for deciding which ones get fixed first.
Thomas suggested putting in a line item for a budget for the city clerk to assist with getting codification done, for example, without any other department involved. Armstrong said she appreciated the idea had even been mentioned because most cities of the first class arrange budgets in that way. She said the current arrangement in which she must go through the mayor’s budget was established by a former mayor, and creates the appearance of subservience of one elected official to another. She described the situation as a three-legged stool with one leg longer than the others.
Incoming alderman Harry Meyer said it made sense to him for the clerk to have a budget since the clerk is an elected official. Alderman Melissa Green suggested Armstrong and Clark come back to council with their solution and council would consider it.
McClung proposed they take the budget home to study and discuss it at another workshop, and aldermen agreed on Tuesday, Jan. 8, at 4 p.m., as the next workshop date.