Rainsville Increases City Budget
By Sherri Blevins
On Monday, January 18, 2021, the Rainsville City Council held its regular meeting. One item on the agenda was to amend the 2021 budget. The results of the changes approved were to increase the budgeted surplus from $269.00 to $2,869.00.
The first change was to the pay scale. The City dropped the Waste Water Treatment Plant to two operators for the rest of the year. Changes to the pay scale for graded operators dropped personnel cost by approximately $10,000.00. The City added a pay scale position to the police department for a lieutenant, increasing personnel cost by $2,500.00 for the remainder of the year. The net decrease to the pay scale was $7,500.
A revenue adjustment was made, increasing gross receipts taxes by $45,000.00 based on the final 2020 collections. This adjustment caused a $45,000.00 net change in the increase of revenue.
There was also an increase in budgeted costs. The Public Works Operation had an unforeseen replacement of a light for $17,000.00. A $2,000.00 increase was added to the Park Operations to purchase nets to allow activities to be held on the farmers’ market site. These moves resulted in a $19,000.00 increase in expenditures.
Finally, changes were made to the Capital outlay: $3,000.00 was added to make the front entrance to the library handicap accessible, $27,900 was added for a ceiling replacement and floor refinishing at the Bevill Center, the cost to finance new public safety vehicles for $660,000 was added, but debt issued for new public safety vehicles is also $660,000. The net change from Capital Outlay was $30,900.
In other business the Council approved the following items:
- $6,090.00 for Voice Analysis Equipment and Training for Josh Wilson and Todd Bowen
- $180.00 for Todd Bowen’s Public Information Officer Training
- $1,197.00 to purchase a chair for the Police Dispatch Department
- $1,400.00 to Boozer Construction for road work on the corner of Everett and Scott Street South
- $1,820.24 for two panels of netting at the Field of Dreams
- Resolution 118-2021 making a Mahindra Tractor at the Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) surplus
- $1,485.00 to FTC for cameras at the WWTP
- $14,000.00 for Phase 1-Scada System/WWTP
Monday, February 1, 2021, is the date for the next Rainsville City Council meeting.
Rainsville Increases City Budget