Finance Director Michael Akins gave city council the lowdown on the budget for the last two months in the workshop prior to the Aug. 24 meeting.
Sales and Use tax collected by merchants in April and remitted back from the state in July came in for a total of $315,233.65. Of that, $193,974 went into the general fund, $46,000 went into the street fund, $49,000 went to Parks and $25,000 went to bond payment.
Akins said that sales tax for the month had been up $4,000. He also said that the sales tax received in July was up $33,000 compared to 2025 and that he had just received August money which was up $21,000 over last year, leaving the city $93,000 over same time last year. The July and August numbers were not on the worksheet provided to council, but Akins said he wanted council to know of the good months performance. He also noted lodging collections had overtaken retail with lodging at $130,000 and retail at $122,000.
In revenue and expenditures, Akins said total revenue for the year is 43 percent of total at $5,979,914 with 48 percent of expenses for the year at $6,623,805. He had provided council with a comparison to 2025 with $5.3 million in revenue and $5.7 million in expenses. Akins also covered capital expenditures including vehicle for ambulance remount, pump for water/sewer as well as a hydro excavation trailer.
Akins explained there has been issues with reimbursements from the state regarding transit, but ARDOT had been in to get everything submitted.
- Alderman Rachael Moyer questioned if there was a capital expenditure forecast that could be viewed by council. Akins explained that generally, department heads keep track of their own equipment needs. He said the police department and transit are on a rotating schedule since their vehicles have a “useful life,” but that nothing is “written down in stone.” Moyer said she’d like to see a capital expenditure forecast especially regarding Public Works.
- Regarding Black Bass Lake, bids have come back for repairs at $775,000 with a low bidder out of Harrison. Mayor Butch Berry said he’d bring it up at the next council meeting for review.
- Akins clarified the mayor’s office salaries already being at 60 percent of budget for the year, saying that the city gardener salary had been coming out of the mayor’s office budget rather than Public Works. He said that would be rectified in the budget.
- Moyer also asked if council had a financial reserve policy, which is no.