City budget goes through

By Sally Petty, Staff Writer

August 26, 2008 10:43 pm

— The Washington City Council passed the 2009 budget without any changes at their meeting Monday evening, planning to make more cuts in the spring after the state reviews the budget.
Mayor Larry Haag opened the discussion asking the council to plan a special meeting to discuss and tweak the budget because changes in the property tax law are confusing. He also wanted to clarify that the proposed 3 percent raise for all city employees will cost $80,278, not $216,000 as was mentioned at the last council meeting.
Under prompting from council members Joe Fleck, Art Biddinger and Tom Baumert, the council decided instead to pass the budget as it was so the state will approve as much money as possible. After they get the budget back from the state, most likely in May, said Biddinger, they will have 10 days to review the budget again and make any cuts necessary.
It will be easier to make the cuts in the spring said the three councilmen and Clerk-Treasurer Elaine Wellman, because then the council will know exactly how much money they will lose to property tax cuts.
Accordingly, the council read and approved the compensation ordinance and heard first readings on ordinances to fix compensation for city employees and police and fire employees, and to set the tax rate.
Electric rates
Utility Office Manager Anita Ash presented the Board of Public Works with a proposal for a rate study and accounting training in the utility department.
She said she had been hearing at Indiana Municipal Power Agency meetings that energy costs will increase 20 to 50 percent in the near future. However, the city’s electric rates have not been increased in 20 years.
According to an IMPA report, Washington’s residential electric rate is one of the lowest of IMPA members.
In July, the city paid 5.55 cents per kilowatt to purchase electricity and charged customers about 7 cents per kilowatt. That gave the department $221,000 to operate for that month, said Ash. But because the department does not have a budget, she could not say whether they were breaking even or losing money.
Haag pointed out the Utility Department’s books had not been balanced for 18 months when he took office. Internal audits saved the department thousands of dollars, a total of $253,100 across utility and trash departments.
Ash proposed hiring Umbaugh Associates to conduct a rate study for $12,000 to $15,000. She also proposed hiring a consultant from American Public Power Association for $7,000 to train city employees including the mayor, department heads and the Utility Department’s internal accounting employees in utility accounting.
The BPW approved these suggestions.
In other business
ANIMAL CONTROL
Dennis Boring, supervisor of Animal Control, told the BPW he has been trying for the past four or five years to buy a second vehicle for the department. This year’s budget contains $22,000 for him to purchase the vehicle, and he found a cargo van that fits his needs.
By financing the van for 90 days, he can receive a $2,000 rebate, but he had to get permission from the council to borrow the money. After the 90 days are up, he will pay off the loan and save more money than the interest paid in those three months. After rebates, the vehicle will cost $16,950.
The BPW approved the request.
MAIN STREET EVENTS
The Catholic Community requested the city close Main Street between N.E. Third and Fourth streets for their annual Fest of the Harvest Moon on Oct. 4. The city council referred the request to the Board of Public Works, which approved it.
First Christian Church requested permission to host a youth event at the corner of N.E. Third and Walnut streets on Sept. 4. Church representative Byron Holtsclaw said the church plans to offer free lunches to students with open campus at noon and free after-school snacks to all students at 3 p.m. They don’t plan to close the street. The council approved the event and asked that city police make sure children are safe during the event.
TUNNEL
City Engineer Ed Barnett gave an update on the tunnel under the railroad tracks near Cosby Road. He said Boyds Excavating has contracted Capital Tunneling to dig an 88-inch diameter tunnel under the tracks for a 66-inch sewer line to run through. Barnett said he expects the tunnel will be complete by Friday.
PARK GEESE
Parks Superintendent Dan Neely presented some suggestions for reducing the duck and goose population at Eastside Park. The birds defecate throughout the park, making it difficult to walk the paths and causing algae to grow in the lake, said Neely. They have also been hit by cars and have chased people because they have come to expect food.
After consulting with the state Department of Natural Resources, Neely suggested taking measures to keep people from feeding the birds. The Parks Department also plans to destroy the birds’ eggs and catch and move them away from the lake.
Neely hopes this will reduce the hundreds of dollars per week the park spends on chemicals for the lake and on cleaning the sidewalks.
The council voted to allow Neely to take whatever steps are necessary to enact his plan.
HUMAN RESOURCES
Board of Public Works member Dr. John Gray has been working to create a handbook of job descriptions for all city employees. He asked Haag to have department heads send him information about who employees answer to throughout the city. When he is finished, he wants department heads to meet with their employees to define their job descriptions.
Gray’s handbook will also include job evaluation forms.
SCHOOL ZONE
After Police Chief Steve Riney’s study of the area, the council decided to declare the area around the new Cornerstone Christian School a school zone. Accordingly, the Street Department will place school zone signs and 20 mph speed limit signs in the area of N.W. Seventh and W. VanTrees streets.
WASTE WATER DEPARTMENT
The Board of Public Works voted to promote Chris Boger to construction foreman and Daniel Booker to heavy equipment sewer maintenance at the waste water department.