The City Council voted Tuesday to rescind more than half a million dollars in budget amendments, some of which may be illegal.
A week after approving the 24 amendments, which include $88,500 for annexation, councilmen are seeking an attorney general”s opinion to determine whether they can make non-emergency amendments.
The opinion is expected to be ready in two to four weeks, said City Attorney Jeff Turnage.
The law in question is found in Mississippi Code Annotated section 21-35-15, which says this:
“The amount appropriated and authorized to be expended for any item contained in such budget, except for capital outlay, election expenses, and payment of emergency warrants and interest thereon, must not exceed the amount actually estimated for such item, and the total amount appropriated and authorized to be expended from any fund, except for capital outlay, election expenses and payment of emergency warrants and interest thereon, shall not exceed the total amount actually estimated for all purposes.”
However, in section 21-35-25 the law also states, “Notwithstanding any provision in this chapter to the contrary, the budget of any municipality may be revised …”
Chief Operations Officer David Armstrong said that if making amendments is illegal, he “should have been put in jail 22 years ago.”
“You can”t just look at a few sections and say, ”Ah ha, this is the law,”” he said. “That”s like watching two minutes of a film and saying that”s the film.”
Armstrong said that every city has to adjust their budgets for non-emergency spending, and Columbus was no different.
“Everyone does it to some extent,” he added.
Depending on the attorney general”s opinion, several amendments may fall into this category, including the annexation amendment.
The annexation of 1,500 citizens, five miles of road and three square miles of land was initially postponed until next year, so only $5,000 was budgeted.
Tuesday, councilmen were discussing a 25th amendment that would add $7,500 to the city”s $20,000 flower budget – also a non-emergency amendment.
In the ensuing discussion, Ward 6 Councilman Bill Gavin argued that his ward needed the flowers to attract new businesses while Ward 5 Councilman Kabir Karriem said these kinds of expenditures can wait until later this year.
The amendment was tabled pending the attorney general”s opinion.
Other amendments paid $2,000 for an Apple computer for the recently resigned city planner and $5,100 to replace the ice machine at the public works department.
Regardless of the outcome of the issue, Chief Financial Officer Mike Bernsen said the budget would be built differently next fiscal year. Instead of just using past history to determine each department”s budget, the city will project costs, he said.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 49 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.