Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Emmet Council Adopts 1999 Budget

It was budget time for the Emmet City Council, Thursday, Dec. 9, with the panel setting the spending limits for 199.

In addition, it was a time of some sadness as two members stepped down, along with the mayor. Along with these three stepping aside, Dorothy Hamilton, city recorder, and Anita Allen, administrative assistant, both tendered their resignations, effective Jan. 31, 1999.

The first thing the council did was to amend the 1998 budget, transferring funds from one department to another to make sure the general fund didn't run short of money when all the bills come due.

On the positive side, the original budget proposed for the city was $67,000, while Emmet received $77,312, as of Nov. 30, 1998. This, Mayor Ottis P. "Chuck" Otwell, said, was 115 percent more than estimated.

The council transferred $1,500 from the insurance fund to the general fund, leaving $400 in the insurance budget and all policies paid up. The original insurance budget, Otwell said, was $3,000.

A total of $500 was moved from the general fund to the parks budget. This fund is $135 over its allotment, and more money is needed to cover the cost of getting work done to repair the pavilion and get concrete slabs poured.

Overall, the general fund was increased by $3,000 by the panel.

Otwell said he had asked mayor-elect Dale Booker about the budget and was told to go ahead with the planning for 1999.

The city's budget for 1999 will be much the same as the 1998 budget. The general fund will have $67,000 of estimated revenue, with $64,0000 to be disbursed. The street budget will be $20,000, while the water and sewer budget will be $60,000.

Once business about the budget was done, Otwell said there had been talk about holding another election, but after talking with an attorney, it was decided not to bother.

"I feel it's best to wait until after the first of the year,"Otwell said, "and contact our (state) representatives and (state) senators to get them behind election laws and put teeth in them for voting out of precinct. I thought it was foolish to spend the city's money and cause trouble."

Having said this, Otwell presented outgoing board members Jack Faulkner and Rene Sells with plaques honoring them for their years of service on the council. Faulkner returned the favor by giving Otwell a plaque for his service as mayor for the last eight years.

"We've accomplished a lot in the last eight years," Otwell said. "We'll do even more in the future. I appreciate this."

The council discussed having a bronze plaque made and put by Albert Hickey's tree, honoring him for all the work he did for Emmet's Volunteer Fire Department.

A second plaque was discussed to be made honoring those members of the Emmet VFD who have passed away. This plaque will be placed in city hall.

Before the meeting closed, Emmet resident Tom Hand had a few questions for the panel.

He asked what happened to the "missing" $105,000 the discrepancy from audit reports and the city's bank balance.

Otwell told him to ask someone else as the council had watched the books closely and all he could account for is what money came into the office.

When questioned about a building for the new water pump, Otwell said construction on such a structure will begin this week, weather permitting.

In addition, Otwell said the city could get a 10 percent reduction in water rates as more customers have been added to the new system, but this will be up to Booker and his administration.