Citizens of Starkville will have their final chance to voice their opinion on the city”s proposed 2011-12 budget during today”s Board of Aldermen meeting.
The board held its first public hearing on the budget during its meeting on Aug. 2 and received little input from residents. Just two residents participated in the public hearing portion of the meeting.
However, the $16.3 million budget was panned two weeks ago by Aldermen Roy A. Perkins and Henry Vaughn for its lack of money allocated to capital investments, like street and drainage repair. Both aldermen cited the proposed tax increase — subject to citywide vote on Sept. 27 — for Phase 1 of the municipal facilities master plan as a root of displeasure among constituents in their wards.
As a result, Perkins and Vaughn were the only two Aldermen to vote against adopting the facilities master plan, adopting Phase 1 of the plan and the $8.4 million bond referendum to finance the construction of the new police station.
Still, with little input from citizens and other members of the board two weeks ago, it”s likely the budget will be adopted tonight.
“I”m hopeful we will vote on it tomorrow night,” Alderwoman and Budget Committee Chair Sandra Sistrunk said Monday. “And I say this to anybody I”m talking to about the budget, I think we lose sight that it”s a plan, not a static document. We amend it at least three times during a fiscal year as we see where our revenue and expenditures go. It”s basically a starting point.”
The budget has several changes, albeit minor ones in terms of additional expenditures.
First, the board”s approval of two additional police officers for a motorcycle traffic safety unit will add approximately $85,000 of new expenditures.
Second, two projects are slated to roll over from the fiscal year 2010-11 budget but won”t require additional funding: the study of South Montgomery Street traffic patterns ($25,000) and budgeted money for the Carver Drive ditch ($65,000).
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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 30 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
