Published: May 22, 2008 04:50 pm         

City council working toward new budget

With July 1 not that far off, the Crossville City Council is working on the city's budget for the coming fiscal year passing the first readings of an unchanged tax rate and budget in title only at the May council meeting.

The council expects there to be no increase in the city property tax rate and the first reading of the tax rate for the fiscal year remains at the same 55 cents per $100 of value as last year.

The details of the initial proposed budget were provided to the council and the media recently and council members have been reviewing those documents. The initial budget as requested totals almost $20.5 million in expenditures with revenues of almost $15 million leaving a deficit of $5.5 million. The city has estimated that the amount left in the fund balance at the end of the current fiscal year will total $16.2 million.

Budget category amounts include $3.2 million for general government, $7.9 million for public safety, $3.1 million for streets and public works, $1.5 million for leisure and culture and almost $1.2 million for airport operations. In addition, the budget includes over $2.3 million for capital projects and construction and just over $500,000 for debt service. The city's water and sewer fund is expected to generate just over $11 million in revenue with almost $8 million in expenditures.

Council members will be meeting individually with city finance director Fred Houston and new city manager Ted Meadows to discuss concerns and questions before the council will come together as a group to discuss any changes to be made to the budget.

The council approved a proposed agreement between the city and the Cumberland County Board of Education (BOE) concerning school resource officers (SRO) at their May regular meeting. City attorney Ken Chadwell advised council he incorporated the council's direction of splitting the cost of the SRO program between the city and the BOE on a 50-50 basis. The council unanimously approved the proposed agreement that will be sent to the BOE for their action.

The council also directed the city attorney to look further at some of the city ordinances concerning nuisances and ways to strengthen them. The council was concerned about giving the city laws more teeth and ways to control things like the long term problem on Cook Road with appliances as well as other problems reported to the city and council members.

A brief video was presented at the council meeting about the Cumberland Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) explaining some of the workings and benefits of the program. In addition to Crossville and Cumberland County's involvement, Morgan County and Wartburg are also now involved in the program. Just over a year ago the city council become involved in the HCP as a way to work toward adequate water supplies for the area.

A habitat conservation plan is a way to integrate use and conservation of natural resources associated with threatened and/or endangered species. The Endangered Species Act prohibits the harm (also called a take) of such a species or their habitat. Through an incidental take permit, and HCP becomes a partnership between a resource user and the Fish and Wildlife Service that allows resources to be used and the take to occur as long as the species impacts of the take are mitigated and minimized through an approved HCP.

According to Mayor J.H. Graham III, “We are on the cutting edge with this type of program. This is the only one of its kind in the state of Tennessee. It is a way to protect habitats but still be able to provide potable water.”

The council approved a request for additional money to ECE services as they are in the process of bidding out the Holiday Hills Dam project for the third time. The low bidder approved at last month's council meeting was not approved by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). The contractor failed to meet the required diligence of the disadvantage business enterprise program required by TDOT.

Once construction starts, the project will close the bridge across Holiday Dam for several months.

The council approved a long list of bids for the coming fiscal year. Bids approved from asphalt to waterline supplies. Many items the city uses regularly are bid for the year keeping the price consistent until the next fiscal year.

The council also approved several street closing for upcoming events on Main Street and downtown. Closings were approved for June 7 along Second Street for a block party sponsored by Minnie's Used Furniture and that evening on Main Street for a car show by the Crossville Cruisers antique car club. Both events are in cooperation with Downtown Crossville, Inc.

Approval was given for additional street closings for the annual Depot Days festival on Friday and Saturday, June 20 and 21.