City to hold budget hearing

The Fort Scott City Commission will be holding a public hearing regarding the 2011 budget at 6:15 p.m. tonight, during their regular business meeting at City Hall, 1 E. Third St.

After more than two months of planning by the commissioners and city staff, the 2011 budget for the City of Fort Scott will be up for approval with a 1.25 mill increase.

Fort Scott City Manager Joe Turner said that with the city's valuation decreasing, the amount of cuts made to expenditures just was not enough to keep the mill levy at the same level as 2010. Cuts made to the 2011 budget include a $40,000 cut to the city's annual street improvement program, not filling the evidence custodian position, as well as trimming other expenditures.

The cuts come in addition to several cuts which were made to trim the 2009 budget, which included decreasing the amount of funding contributed to local organizations as well as freezing all expenditures unless approved by Turner.

The increase is also a result, in part, to a 1-percent salary increase for city employees as well as an increase in insurance costs.

At the conclusion of the hearing, the city will vote on whether to approve or deny the budget. According to Turner, the commission does have the ability to make further cuts to the budget and decrease the mill levy, however they cannot increase the mill levy.

The deadline to have the budget submitted to the Bourbon County Clerk's Office is Aug. 25.

Other items to be covered during the meeting include:

* Recognition of Jesse Durbin, Pat Farrell, and Johnny Keating for the rescue of a 16-month-old child.

* Consideration for the adoption of a Multi-Jurisdictional Mitigation Plan.

* Consideration of bids for the Taxiway Project at the Fort Scott Municipal Airport.

* Consideration of the Lake Fort Scott Emergency Action Plan.

The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, in the Commission Room in City Hall, 1 E. Third St.