PEA RIDGE — Reviewing a nearly $5 million budget, Pea Ridge City Council members met for a committee of the whole meeting Monday night for nearly three hours reviewing the city budget line by line with each city department head. The budget was to be considered at the regular City Council meetingTuesday night.
Meticulously examining each item, council member Nadine Telgemeier asked questions about each department’s budget specifically questioning both income and expenditures. She asked each department head about the use of city vehicles.
There is a truck assigned to the duty employee of the water/ wastewater department who is oncall and police officers take their vehicles home with them. No city vehicles are used in personal business, each department said.
City recorder/treasurer Sandy Button answered questions and explained the budget process when asked.
Telgemeier questioned the $4,390 provided to the city library from city general.
“That’s the way it was originally set up,” Button said, adding that the money had never been increased.
“I’d rather see an increase in hours,” Telgemeier said, recommending that the money be removed to hold the library “more accountable.” “I think there needs to be some changes until they can meet the needs of the community.”
Telgemeier said she wantedto see the library’s circulation increased and consider adding movies.
“I want the hours. They’re not convenient for me,” Telgemeier said of the library. “If they don’t want to use an extra person, I’d say take it out.”
She suggested trying to hire someone with a degree in libraryscience from the University of Arkansas.
She also questioned the 25 percent increase in expense for the Mule Jump, with only a 22 percent anticipated increase in revenue.
Ken Hayes, water/wastewater superintendent, answered questions about his department which operates on a fiscal year of Nov. 1 to Oct. 31, unlike the rest of the city which is January to December.
The city is audited by the state. The water and wastewater departments are audited by a private firm.
The Street Department increased slightly with superintendent Larry Majors explaining reasons for increases and decreases in the budget including materials like snow and salt for snow removal. “I’d like to be able to buy saltin the summer, just like the highway department is going to do, when the price is lower,” Majors said. He said he was also rearranging schedules to “hold down on overtime.”
The Police Department will need two new cars, Police Chief Tim Ledbetter told the council.
The Fire Department will need a new ambulance, Fire Chief Frank Rizzio said, adding that costs had increased as the department had increased staffing to seven days a week.
Button explained that money from city general is transferred to each city department as needed.
Council members Telgemeier and Steve Guthrie were present. Bob Cottingham was absent, but his wife was in the audience.
Jack Kelly was absent.
News, Pages 1 on 11/17/2010