Alto general budget up 23 percent
Water budget falls 1.2 percent
BY SHARON HOGAN
The Alto City Council approved a proposed 2008 general fund budget of $545,341 at the council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 12. This is up 23 percent over last year’s budget.
The proposed 2008 water fund budget total is $542,450. This is a 1.2 percent decrease from last year’s total.
City employee wages make up a large portion of the expense amount in the proposed general fund budget at a total of $225,000. The police department wages account for $145,000 of this amount.
In the proposed water fund budget, the largest expense item is $121,250 for infrastructure.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at Tuesday’s council meeting, the council:
•awarded a contract totaling $8,270 to Blue Ridge Fence Inc., Lula, for fencing at two well sites. The contract covers fencing at both the Cedar Creek and Apple Pie Ridge well sites. The fencing is needed for security purposes. The city received a bid of $7,515 from Gateway Fence Company, Cleveland, on this project also.
•adopted an ordinance to establish a franchise fee of five percent applicable to holders of cable or video franchises issued by the state of Georgia.
•discussed the purchase of .12 acre of land that adjoins city property at the work house and the water tank. Mayor Audrey Turner said she would contact the property owner about a price on this piece of property.
•approved a rate of $16 per month for garbage collection to residents outside of the city limits. The garbage collection is only being offered to residents on the city’s water system. The charge will appear on the water bill. Council members Jacki Bosco and Kathy Clark voted in favor of this, Margaret Beaupre voted against this motion and Gary Terrell abstained from voting. Council member Cathy Armour was absent from the meeting. Beaupre said she did not feel comfortable doing this and she felt like “we could be opening up a can of worms.” Alto resident Rosalynn Mason said she also opposed this action. Mason said, “How far do we go with this?” Turner said, “The service will only be available to customers already on the city’s water system.
•heard from Police Chief Robin Krockum that part-time police officer Jeremy Eller will begin working full-time for the city on Wednesday, Feb. 13. Eller’s move to full-time status was approved at the council meeting on Jan. 8.
•approved Krockum to proceed with an application for a United States Department of Agriculture grant in the amount of $55,000 for vehicle acquisition. If received the money will be used to purchase two new police vehicles.
•approved the sale of a 2000 Ford Crown Victoria police car. The sale will be advertised and sealed bids will be taken through March 7. The bids will be opened at the next council meetings scheduled for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11.
•heard from Alto resident Dennis Wade about someone prowling around his house on Friday night. Wade said his wife was home alone at their house on Nix Street when the incident occurred. No police officer was on duty in Alto and an officer had to respond from Banks County and this took some time. The council told Wade with another full time officer now working there would be more police protection for the residents.
The council held a work session before the council meeting on Tuesday to discuss annexing property into the city. The council said they have annexation applications available to residents and they will be contacting residents around the current city limits to seek annexation of their property.
Donald Wade, city administrative assistant, told the council the annexations would help to grow the city’s tax base. Wade also told the council that an open house on the comprehensive plan is required by the city to be held in April. The city is working with the Georgia Regional Development Commission on this.
