After more than a month of discussions, motions and hearings, the Columbus City Council voted Thursday to approve its Fiscal Year 2013 operating budget. The budget contains $22,932.13 in revenues and $23,258,533 in expenditures, leaving a $326,115 deficit.
“The deficit will be covered from the available cash balance,” said Chief Financial Officer Mike Bernsen. The cash balance for the city is approximately $2.2 million.
The millage rate for the city will remain unchanged at 40.13 mills for the city and a total of 106 mills, including the Columbus Municipal School District.
Bernsen said the largest aspects of the budget come from the police department, fire and rescue, and public works departments — a combined $14.1 million or 61 percent of the total budget.
“These three departments were large last year as well,” said Bernsen. “Last year the total was about $13 million. The increase is so large this year due to the new hires in public works and police department.”
One new position created in the budget is a collections clerk for the municipal court system. The new hire will be responsible for keeping accurate records regarding fine collections.
“What’s nice about this position is it is one of the few departments that actually generates revenue,” said Bernsen. “This will actually cover the salary of the new hire and you don’t get that often.”
The salary for the court clerk will be $31,000, including benefits and taxes.
Ward 5 Councilman Kabir Karriem and Ward 6 Councilman Bill Gavin voted against the budget. Both have repeatedly expressed their frustrations with dipping into the reserves for the second year in a row to cover the deficit.
“I think we could have made more cuts,” said Karriem in a previous interview. “I think the budget warranted some more discussion.”
The deficit will also be covered by a $2 monthly increase in collected garbage fees, bringing the total from $15 to $17. Lowndes County District One Supervisor Harry Sanders, who is a board member of Waste Management, the city’s garbage collection service, said the company charges the city $7.50 per household for garbage collection.
“The city is making almost $10 a person over what the fees are,” Sanders on Tuesday said. “The county had built up about $2 million in our garbage account. We had to give free garbage services in the county for 18 months. It’s unethical for (the city) to charge $17 to have (garbage) picked up.”
City officials dispute Sanders’ claims, however, recently saying the increase will still leave the city with a $97,000 shortfall in garbage collection services.
The budget will go into effect Oct. 1.
For an overview of the city’s FY 2013 budget, go to cdispatch.com.
Jeff Clark was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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