Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

$9 Million City Budget Approved

Prescott will have an overall budget of $9,375,642 for an operating budget during 2001.

The budget was approved by the Prescott City Council during its regular monthly meeting.

The document was prepared on a department-by-department basis, each with its own budget.

The electric department has the largest budget of all, with anticipated gross income of $6,117,800. The expected expenses are set at $4,938.345, leaving a net income of $1,179,455  barring no unforeseen disasters such as the ice storm at Christmas.

The water department's budget is $391,700, with expenses set at $354,366, leaving a net income of $37,334.

For the sewer department, the budget is $640,000, with expenses anticipated at $501,794, leaving $138,206.

Income for the city shop was set at $1,000 from salvage. However, the anticipated expenses are $35,637, leaving a deficit of $34,637.

However, according to the city's accountant Carl Dalrymple, this is not unusual. Several departments have no income and operate in the red every year.

The water plant is another such department, as its expected expenses are $45,500, with nothing coming in as income.

The river plant has an anticipated income of $18,000, but expenses of $81,500, leaving a deficit of $63,500.

For the general and administrative budget, the anticipated revenue is $160,900, while the expenses total $1,055,359, leaving a shortfall of $894,459.

Income for the fire department is expected to be $39,000, while the expenses are $115,000, leaving a deficit of $78,000.

The police department has anticipated income of $59,500, and expenses of $422,100, for a negative difference of $362,600.

The cemetery revenue is anticipated at $3,000, while the expenses total $6,025, creating a shortfall of $3.025.

There is no income for the sanitation department, with its expenses being $107,025.

The municipal court is another such department, with no income, and expenses of $29,135.

The city shop also brings in no money, and has a budget of $31,428.

Expenses for the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce are $2,400, with no income anticipated under the budget. This expense is for the lease of the building the Chamber is in.

For garbage collection, the budget is $245,000, with anticipated expenses of $214,100, leaving a net income of $30,900.

The city's general and administrative budget was set at $1,386,500, with expenses anticipated at $715,969. This leaves a net income of $670,531.

The street department's budget is $246,000, with expenses projected at $245,476, leaving a net income of $524.

Income for the parks department is anticipated to be $69,242, with expenses the same amount, leaving a zero balance.

The budget also includes the city's bond obligations and other expenses.

Payments for the 1993 bond are $32,051, while the 94 bond payments are $155,000. The Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission will receive payments of $7,324. This is a total of $194,375 in outside payments.

But, according to the budget, the net projected income over the projected expenses of $210,816.

The city is also to pay $20,000 for a pickup from the public utility department's fund.

Included in the city's overall budget, but separated, is the one-cent sales tax originally passed to help the now defunct Nevada County Hospital.

This tax is expected to bring in $400,000.

Of this, the lion's share is dedicated to economic development, though the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office doesn't actually receive the money.

These funds are channeled through the city to the EDO as needed.

The economic development budget is $240,000 for 2001. This amount had originally been set at $265,000, but $25,000 was transferred to the parks department for improvements in the city's parks.

This doubled the parks budget from the sales tax to $50,000.

The city's beautification committee will get $60,000 of this money, while the Main Street program gets $30,000. Another $20,000 was set aside as matching funds for a grant for the restoration of the Depot Museum.