Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Budget, Utility Rates Are Discussed

BY AUTUMN LEAMONS

Budgets for the city of Prescott were the big discussion at the December 21 meeting of the Prescott City Council.

The council members had looked the budget plans over well and had some easily answered questions.

This year's budget was figured using the new lower electrical rates which are expected to be approved this month.

Committee members asked why they had not been asked to attend a meeting to help work up the new budget. Mayor Howard Taylor replied, "I asked everyone to have a special meeting, but I could not get anyone to come."

The big question of the night was, "How come the water department was budgeted $40,000 last year and they used $32,000 and was then budgeted $60,000 this year?" Carl Dalrymple, the city's accountant, told the council members they figured the budget by comparing years before and the present figures to come up with the upcoming year's budget.

Councilman James Roy Cornelius was concerned with the cemetery budget. "I don't think we should be responsible for the cemetery any longer, because it is to much of a hassle," Cornelius told the other members. He said he would like to try to find someone else besides the city to take care of it, or appoint a particular group of people to be responsible for it.

Taylor told Cornelius the city had asked for bids on the cemetery, but none was submitted. The council will look into more options for the cemetery at a later time.

The Parks and Recreation Department was budgeted more expenses than income. This was a concern for all council members. It was suggested the budget be approved, excluding the parks and recreation department, so the council will have time to discuss what it plans to do for this department.

The new electrical rates were also a topic of discussion during the meeting. The council was informed the old rates were 9.5 cents per kilowatt hour (for residential) during the summer months and 7.92 cents during the winter. Now the electrical rates will be 7.8 cents the entire year. These are the lowest electrical rates in 14 years, the council was told.

The council is hoping to vote on an ordinance during January's meeting to have the new rates in effect by February 1.

The council was asked to vote on an ordinance to rezone some property owned by R.K. and Ramona McCasland. Merly Watson wants to put in an antique shop on the property in the near future.

The council voted to approve Ordinance 5, which would rezone the property in question.