Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Gurdon City Council Passes 1997 Budget

Gurdon's City Council formally adopted an operating budget for 1997.

However, the bare bones document will barely cover the city's anticipated expenses for the year. The total general fund available, which operates the administration, police department and parks department, is estimated at $515,900.

The administrative and police budgets require the lion's share of this amount. According to the approved budget, the administrative budget is $277,000, while the Gurdon Police Department will receive $217,700.

Most of the GPD budget goes to salaries ($145,000), while the majority of the administrative budget must be paid back to the county ($190,000). Administrative salaries only comprise $22,500 of the overall budget for the department.

In looking at the estimated revenue for '97, only a scant $39,000 is expected from the city's 5 mill property tax, while $47,000 in anticipated from state turnback funds. The city receives most of its funding from its franchise tax ($97,000).

However, before the budget could even be discussed, a new council had to be sworn in.

Circuit Judge John Thomas got the ball rolling by first swearing in members of the GPD (Don Childres, Frank Plasek and Chris Harper), before members of the council (Gene Flowers, Edna Cooper, Phillip Giles and Glen Hughes) and city recorder/treasurer Tambra Smith took their oath of office.

The 1997 budget for the city also includes a 3 percent cost of living adjustment for all city employees.

Gurdon Mayor Rick Smith said the city has no "buffer" in case of emergencies. Last year, he informed the council, there was about $20,000 more in the general fund than originally anticipated, but this was used by the GPD after this department went over budget.

The GPD had a bad year with its vehicles in 1996, as a new car spent a considerable amount of time in the shop after blowing an engine. Overtime pay also played a part in the department being over budget.

Smith said Gurdon needs a contingency fund and placed an arbitrary amount of $100 in it.

The council was notified the anticipated revenue for Gurdon won't change until the year 2000, unless there is an unexpected influx of people moving in or businesses and industries decide to locate within the confines of the city limit.

State turnback funds, he said, are based on population. These figures are examined every 10 years when a new census is done. The changes Gurdon could see may be good or bad, depending on the results of the census.

Smith told the council the administrative budget has been trimmed to the bare bones and all departments are going to have to live within their budgets.

He said as a citizen he likes having four police officers working Friday and Saturday nights, and would like to have two on duty every night. However, the department only has $145,000 for salaries and will have to keep officers on duty accordingly based on the budget.

By law, cities are not allowed to operate in deficit situations, which could occur in Gurdon should any department receiving money from the general fund go over budget.

Hughes, one of the two new members, said the GPD needs to be updated with a computer for record keeping. A fax machine is also needed, he said.

Smith said the city has three computers and there is a fax machine in the mayor's office. This office is accessible to anyone having a key to city hall.

While Hughes said the GPD could keep up with records, stolen property, warrants and inventory with faster references if it had a computer, Smith said most of this work is currently being done by the Clark County Sheriff's Office.

The city, Smith continued, has a MacIntosh computer should any member of the GPD want to learn how to operate it. The mayor offered to teach anyone interested in learning how to use the equipment.

Four years ago, Smith said, the city didn't have a computer and all record keeping was done by hand. Now, he told the board, the city can't live without them.

Hughes said the GPD and Gurdon Fire Department need to be taken care of and not have their funding reduced. "I'd like to see more officers on the street," he said, suggesting the city look for ways to generate more revenue for the GPD.

Smith responded by agreeing with Hughes and said the people of Gurdon may soon get the chance to show just how important this subject is to them. He said the general fund does not currently have a sales tax to work with and if any member of the council is interested in proposing one (a sales tax) it would have to be approved by a vote of the people.

"Till then," Smith said, "we must face reality, and this budget is all we have to spend."

In other business, Smith notified the council of problems with a fuel tank owned by the city. He said it has a tendency to fill with water and mud and on two occasions the gas tanks of police cars have had to be removed and cleaned because of this.

At this time, the city is purchasing fuel from a local vendor, but is also paying 18.3 cents in excise tax per gallon, as to all other motorists. The city will have to file for credit through the state to make up the difference. The city is exempt from paying the excise tax.

Smith said the city will attempt to repair the tank again, but if it can't be done, other means of procuring fuel must be obtained. "It would be cost prohibitive to the city to put in another underground tank," he said.

There was also a short discussion on changing the fire boundaries, with Smith telling the council of the letter he sent to Jim Burns, the Clark County Office of Emergency Services coordinator, stating the city's opposition to such changes.

Gurdon Fire Chief Jake McBride concurred with Smith's letter, saying he didn't feel the boundaries need to be changed at this time.

Just before Smith tackled the budget problems, he told the council there were two vacancies left on the city's governing body. The council will be given the names of those who have expressed interest in serving on the panel so they can contact them and make a recommendation at the February meeting.

Prior to the meeting being opened, outgoing members of the council were presented certificates of appreciation by Smith. These certificates were presented to Tammy Brady and David Williams.

McBride also gave plaques to two retiring members of the GFD, Billy Tom Rutherford, for 34 years of service, and Don Smithpeters, who was a member of the GFD 29 years.