Commission voices budget concerns

By Michael Pommier

The Fort Scott Tribune

The remainder of the 2008 budget was cause for a discussion at Tuesday night's Fort Scott City Commission meeting.

Director of Finance Susan Brown presented a 2008 budget update to the commission. Brown stated that the economic situation has effected the city. The interest rates are very low causing the city's revenue to decrease. In addition the storm damage from the winter and the spring have caused expenditures to rise. The cash carryover for 2009 was budgeted to be $716,387, however, currently the city is looking at an anticipated carryover of $367,776.

Brown said the city department heads have been contacted and informed that overtime hours need to be monitored. She also said that the Fire Department and Police Department were advised to look into revising their schedule. Some part-time employees have been laid-off, officials said Tuesday.

Also, in efforts to save money, the city is putting a hold on travel for the rest of the year. The only travel that will be approved is for certification. Another option mentioned by Brown was to put a freeze on the capitol improvement projects.

"On the bright side, other cities and business are worse off than we are," said City Manager Joe Turner.

In other business, the commission accepted to have a "Secure Our Schools" DOJ Grant pass through the city on behalf of USD 234. The grant will be used to place security systems in the schools. The goal of the grant is to provide a safe and secure learning environment for the students and faculty of the school district.

Turner addressed the commission with the first draft of his plan regarding the brick street, street overlay, and sidewalk program. Turner stated that there is a $600,000 annual budget which will be disbursed with $520,000 going toward the street overlay and the brick street program.

"I want to be aggressive with the brick street program," said Turner.

Together with the sidewalk sharing program passed in the 2009 budget, residents will have the option to participate in the sidewalk rebuilding at a reduced cost to the resident.

A public hearing was held during the meeting for the first reading of a proposed Floodplain Management Ordinance. The ordinance is to establish and maintain the community's eligibility for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program.

"The bottom line is you can't get flood insurance if you're not in the program," said City Attorney Bob Farmer.

The ordinance will have its second and final reading at the City Commission meeting on November 18.

Other items on the agenda were:

* The Certificates of Appropriateness for Liberty Theater located at 113 S. Main and Doug and Joyce Nickelson located at 122 S. Main were both approved. Liberty Theater will be repairing areas of the brick on the exterior of the building and Doug and Joyce Nickelson will be removing the facade from the front of the building.

* The commission approved the payment of $512,667.19 to Kissick Construction for the Downtown StreetScape Project.

* Fort Scott will be participating in the Kansas Works Program. Bourbon County is currently participating in the program. Fort Scott will begin November 17.

* Upon the recommendation of Public Works Director Eric Bailey the commission has accepted the bid from K2 Construction for the installation of three separate water mains. The city will be purchasing the materials because it will be able to get the materials at a cheaper price.

The next City Commission meeting will be held Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. in the Commissioner's Room at City Hall.