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Jackson's budget tops $6 million for second year For the second consecutive year, the Jackson City Council has approved a budget topping the $6 million mark. "Our revenues increased in the double digits," professed Mayor Richard Long during Tuesday's council meeting. "I would like to thank this council for staying within our budget during this fiscal year." The budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2007 totals $6,520,300. Topping the list in revenues is sales tax received, totaling $4 million. The public utility license generated $746,400 for the city, while garbage fees came in at $547,500. The other top two revenue generators were the property tax at $210,000 and the alcohol tax at $208,000. One action taken by the council was approving a motion to amend the 2006 budget to the actual expenditures and authorize the mayor to carry forward the excess revenue, totaling $400,000, to a capital improvement account. Total expenditures listed for the upcoming fiscal year are as follows: *Alcohol tax transfers for schools, recreation and the nutrition center total $104,000. *Debt service donations total $1,569,150. *Administration expenses total $746,300. *Police department expenses total $1,349,050. *Municipal court expenses total $81,950. *Public works expenses total $1,648,550. *Animal/mosquito control expenses total $93,750. *Airport expenses total $34,800. *Public library expenses total $143,100. *Recreation expenses total $193,850. *H.W. Pearce Memorial Park Assembly House expenses total $108,100. *Economic development expenses total $65,000. *Other general expenses total $382,400. *Fire department expenses total $230,000. During his report to the council, Mayor Long pointed out a number of things accomplished during the fiscal year 2006: *The completion of a number of capital projects, including a new fire truck for the fire department, new bathrooms and a new tennis complex at North Jackson Park, and a new van for senior citizens. *Partnering with the Clarke County Board of Education to build a new ticket booth/concession stand/bathroom complex at Legion Field. *Approving $800,000 in paving projects in the city and a gully restoration project of $900,000. *The approval of the building of a new police department complex after the purchase of the old Alabama Power Company building and property adjacent to city hall. The total cost of the new complex will be approximately $1 million. *The continuing upgrading of the H.W. Pearce Memorial Park Assembly House by replacement of the heating/cooling system. Upgrades to the bathrooms, refinishing of the floors and other improvements are planned for the upcoming year. *The continuing investment of $150,000 per year at the William E. Stewart Airport, which has a 5,002 feet runway. Water board approves budget During his comments to the council, Councilman Paul South reported that the city's water board had approved a $2.3 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year. He said there would be no rate increase in 2007, although there will be a connection fee increase. The last connection fee increase was in 1999. South listed a number of improvement projects and upgrades planned for the upcoming year, including the addition of a generator at the plant. Crackdown on reckless log truck drivers In his report to the council, Police Chief Charles Burge said he had received a number of complaints about log trucks driving recklessly coming from the Carlton area. "I went out to the area myself and was almost run off the road by a log truck," said Burge. "We are coordinating with the state troopers office and will be cracking down on log truck drivers driving recklessly in that area." Burge also said the department has received a number of complaints from several business owners in the downtown area concerning other business owners using the parking spaces in front of their stores as their personal parking spaces. "Those spaces are supposed to be for customers not all day parking for the business owners," said Burge. "There is a time limit on those parking spaces and we will begin issuing tickets to those who do not adhere to them." In other business: *Al Bean from Clarke-Mobile Gas reported that improvements have been made to the company's buildings. He invited everyone to attend the company's open house on Oct. 23 and said some appliances would be on display. He also said the company has been looking into bringing several industrial prospects to the area. Bean said that natural gas prices should be lower for the upcoming winter because the company had purchased gas at a lower rate for the season. *White Smith Memorial Library Director Debra Grayson reminded everyone that the library's annual benefit auction would be conducted Oct. 5 at the H.W. Pearce Memorial Park Assembly House. She said proceeds from the event will go into the library building fund. *The council approved several changes to the city employee personnel manual. They include changing the amount of vacation weeks earned from four weeks for employees that have been employed for 15 years to five weeks for employees employed for 20 years; changing the number of sick days from 12 to 8 per year; and all employees will receive holiday pay based on an 8-hour work day. *Amotion to place at least three speed bumps on McKee Drive was approved. The council had been presented with a petition bearing the signatures of a majority of the residents on the street during the last council meeting. *The striping of the portion of Walker Springs Road within the city limits was approved. *An off-premises beer/wine license was approved for Pic N Sav grocery store. *A resolution accepting Evin Lane as a dedicated street of the city was approved.
The next meeting of the Jackson City Council is scheduled for Oct. 10 at 6 p.m.
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