GENTRY -- City Council, on Jan. 4, appointed a new council member to fill a vacant seat, amended the 2015 budget, adopted a new budget for 2016 and passed a salary resolution and a planning commission appointment resolution.
Jimmy Thorburn was appointed by the council to fill the Ward 4 council post vacated by Janie Parks when she moved out of the ward. The city had received letters of interest in the post from Thorburn and Allen Porter.
A resolution amending the city budget for 2015 was adopted to include overages on a number of line items. Though the amended budget adjusts line items where more was spent than originally budgeted, it does not include all those line items where expenditures were less than the amount originally budgeted. Overall, the city spent considerably less than budgeted for 2015, and incoming revenue exceeded expectations reflected in the 2015 budget, according to Kevin Johnston, Gentry's mayor.
Also adopted by resolution was a budget for 2016. The new city budget includes a number of city and department budgets. The city's new general fund budget includes revenue of $1,365,650 and expenses of $1,697,689.50. Beginning balances to be added to the incoming revenue include $119,644.43 in O&M, $283,114.82 in savings and $404,546.89 in savings - elected officials, meaning the city has budgeted expenditures for 96 percent of its revenue, excluding money set aside for retirement pay for elected officials.
The County Tax Fund budget reflected $600,000 in incoming county sales tax, $300 in interest income and expenditures of $599,950. It also includes a beginning O&M balance of 231,034.18, savings of $132,736.90, putting expenditures at 62.23 percent of available funds.
In the street and alley fund, the city has budgeted expenditures of $859,870, with incoming revenue of $472,000, a beginning balance in O&M of $135,538.62 and a savings balance of $458,961.08.
In the water and sewer fund, the city budgeted for expenditures of $2,460,950 with incoming revenue budgeted at $2,405,525 and $1,240.612 in checking and savings and $448,175.03 in restricted funds. Budgeted expenditures equal 67.49 percent of available funds.
The city adopted by resolution a new salary schedule giving a pay increase to city employees. Raises for 2016 were based on a formula created by the city after research in 2014. Employees not affected by the new "step system" were given raises based on longevity. Employees with years of service in 2016 totaling 1-14 years will see a 1 percent increase; 15-20 years, 1.5 percent; and more than 20 years, a 2 percent increase. The new formula also includes increases based on cost-of-living adjustment. Traditionally, the city based its raises on the cost-of-living adjustment calculated by the Social Security Administration. That amount was determined to be a 0 percent increase for 2016.
Also reappointed by the city to new terms on the city's planning and zoning commission were Danny Feemster and Paul Church.
The council will continue to meet at 6:30 p.m. on the first Monday of each month in 2016, with the exception of meetings in July and September, which will be held on the following Tuesday due to Monday being a holiday.
New Police Department Building
In regard to work being completed at the building purchased to be the new home of the Gentry Police Department, Mayor Johnston said the electrician should be finishing up in the next few days. After that, the city can finish hanging the sheet rock. The doors and trim should be delivered next week.
"I hope to have them (the police department) moving and settled in by March," Johnston said. "We are planning to have a sort of 'open house' and flag raising" at that time, Johnston said.
General News on 01/13/2016