Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Budget Passed

Gurdon now has a budget for the calendar year 1998.

Meeting in special session Monday night, Jan. 26, the council agreed to pass the sixth revision of a proposed budget, as agreed upon by the budget committee.

According to Mayor Rick Smith, the budget includes some raises. All city employees will get at least a 3 percent cost of living adjustment (COLA).

He said when the + cent sales tax was passed, the people of Gurdon were told more money was needed to operate the Gurdon Police Department. Gurdon City Marshal David Childres brought a proposal to the council's budget committee because of some disparities within the GPD.

One officer who has graduated from the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy in Camden is making $6.87 per hour. This officer will be given a raise to $7.50 an hour. Another officer is currently at the ALETA. When he successfully completes training, his salary will also be bumped to $7.50 an hour.

In addition, Childres pointed out to the panel during the meetings, the part-time dispatcher makes $5.50 per hour. He said a responsible, mature adult can't be hired for this kind of pay. The council agreed and upped the salary to $6.50 per hour. The full- time dispatcher's pay will be $7.25 an hour.

This will not effect the sales tax revenue.

The budget passed by the council reflects $11,900 for an animal control system, $15,000 for capital improvement for the GPD and $18,000 for the emergency warning siren system.

Smith said Entergy donated three 50-foot utility poles for the siren system, so the city will not have to purchase them.

The remaining money generated from the tax, Smith said, will be used to operate the GPD. "We said we'd do four things with the tax," he said, "operate the GPD, install an emergency siren system, create an animal control department and help the street and fire departments."

The street and fire departments, he said, have been donating portions of their budgets to help the GPD. The proposed budget reflects a reduction of $2,000 from these departments to the GPD. Next year, he said, this amount should be reduced even more.

The total budget approved by the council Monday night reflects estimated revenue of $405,971.41 for available use.

Expenditures for the administration are anticipated at $85,620, while the GPD expenses are expected to be $264,400.

The budget for the Parks and Recreation Department was set at $1,754, while the 911/annexation budget was put at $10,652.75.

Animal Control Fund has a budget of $11,900, while $2,000 was transferred from the general fund to the solid waste department.

According to the budget, the total general fund revenue is $406,071.41, while the anticipated expenses from the general fund are $394,442.16. This leaves $11,629.25 in unappropriated funds for the city.

The estimated revenue for the Street Department, which is not under the general fund, is $173,008.81, with the anticipated expenses for the department expected to be $168,770. This leaves $4,238.81 in unappropriated funds.

The special fund for the one-cent sales tax shows expected expenditures of $199,471.86 for 1998, with the expenses to be $98,000, with $28,000 transferred to the general fund and $70,000 going to the street department.

Expenditures for the Gurdon Fire Department under the 1 cent sales tax would be $79,350. This means of the $199,471.86 anticipated, $177,350 has been appropriated in special expenditures, leaving $22,121.86.

The estimated revenue for the Firemen's Pension Fund is $45,914.40, with the anticipated expenses at $17,500. This leaves $28,414.40 in unappropriated funds.

The solid waste department has anticipated revenues of $80,590.61, with expected expenses of $80,100, leaving $490.61 unappropriated.

The budget for the Rose Hedge Cemetery was set at $24,361.12 for expected revenues, with expenses anticipated to be $6,330, leaving $17,981.12 unappropriated. However, the city will soon be needing to look at purchasing property for more grave sites as the current cemetery is rapidly filling up.

The budget for the municipal court was expected to be $2,670.64 in revenue with the same anticipated in expenses leaving no balance.

Estimated revenue for the City Fines 2 account is $10,068.78, with expected expenses of $9,000, leaving $1,068.78 unappropriated.

The municipal building fund account has anticipated revenue of $204,835.42, with expected expenses of $201,050. This means $3,785.42 would be unappropriated.

This account comes from a grant from the Horace C. Cabe Foundation for the renovation of City Hall. The money in the account does not come from taxpayers, and can only be used to upgrade the city's municipal building.

Revenues placed into the drug control fund were $1,816.81, with expenses expected to be $1,600 for the year, leaving $216.81 unappropriated.

A total of $8,200 was set aside for the rescue unit fund, with $8,000 expected to be spent for supplies, equipment and materials. This will leave $200 unappropriated.

The county sales tax portion of the budget is a wash as the city must pass all tax revenues that come in back to the county. This means the $200,000 expected will be sent along to the county.

The final item on the 18-page budget was for capital improvement for the GPD. This amount was set at $15,000, with all of it expected to be spent.

Under state law, the city had to have a working budget passed before February 1.