Editor’s note: In Tuesday’s edition, The Dispatch incorrectly reported information regarding the city of Columbus’ projected travel and training budget for Fiscal Year 2019. We regret the error. Below is a corrected account.
Contrary to The Dispatch’s reporting on Tuesday, the city of Columbus is not planning to double its travel and training expenses for Fiscal Year 2019.
In fact, the revenue for travel and training is expected to double, while budgeted expenses will remain the same.
City administration presented councilmen a proposed budget during a work session Monday that showed the city had budgeted $40,000 for travel and training expenses for Fiscal Year 2018, which ends Sept. 30. Through June 30, the city had spent $21,867 of that amount. The projected FY 2019 expense budget for the line item is also $40,000.
Columbus has received $42,670 in reimbursements for travel and training — almost doubling the budgeted $25,000 — which are counted as revenue. Chief Financial Officer Milton Rawle said most of that comes from police and firefighters completing academy training for certification. For each police officer or firefighter who graduates from a training academy in Mississippi, the academy reimburses the city $3,500, he said.
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