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City Council: Departmental Cutbacks, No Capital Outlays, Contributions or Donations

The KY Copper debt takes one-third of the City's budget.

The Morgantown City Council on Thursday had the unpleasant task of taking up the first reading of a bare-bones budget for the next fiscal year, and it took up a City Hall initiative to combat blighted property.
 
Kendall Embry of Embry and Watts presented the city budget for FY 2015-16, calling it “by far the toughest budget we’ve had to tackle.”  The budget featured many departmental cutbacks, no capital outlays, no contributions and no donations.  Mayor Billy Phelps pointed to a pie chart on the overhead display with one-third of the budget in red; that image represented the share of the budget taken by the $27,000 in monthly payments on the Kentucky Copper building.  Departmental cutbacks average 9.9 percent.  The budget only funds the jail crew through December 31, and it cuts the street sweeper to four hours per week.  Mayor Phelps announced that while salary rates will not be reduced, no overtime will be allowed and time spent in workshops or meetings will have to be offset with time off the next work day.  Phelps also stated that insurance copays will increase.  Embry said the expected budget carryover into FY 2015-16 will be $192,000, and the carryover into FY 2016-17 is expected to be only $5,700.  Embry said while the proposed budget is a “bee sting” for the city, it was a workable budget for the next 12 month period while the city works on selling the Kentucky Copper building.  Embry warned that if the building situation is not resolved, the next fiscal year budget will require further cuts of $200,000 to $250,000.  Both Embry and Phelps stressed that once the Kentucky Copper building is sold, the city’s budgetary situation changes dramatically.  The Council passed the first reading of the FY 2015-16 budget.
 
City Clerk Jarrod Barks presented the city’s Morgantown Clean Up initiative to the Council to combat blighted property in the city.  Barks said that enforcement efforts of city ordinances against blight have not been pursued beyond an initial letter of complaint, and Morgantown Clean Up will focus efforts to enforce ordinances on grass height, garbage, noise, abandoned or non-functioning vehicles, and blighted buildings.  Barks stated that Morgantown Clean Up will have an online presence on the city website with a Property Violation Submission form where violations can be reported anonymously and ordinances will be listed.  Barks said that blight “spreads” from house to nearby house, affecting appearance and property values of neighborhoods.
 
Bruce White of the Boys and Girls Club had the challenge of following the budget vote with a request for annual funding of $12,500 for the Club.  Backed by the Club’s board who were in attendance, White said that the Boys and Girls Club is expanding to open a new branch at North Butler Elementary School and will serve 115 children daily, up from 75.  Council member Allan Meredith moved to give the Club $6,000 now and the other $6,500 once the Kentucky Copper building is sold.  Council member Dionne Merritt moved to postpone action until next month.  The Council voted to postpone action.
 
The Council gave a brief update on repairs on the tennis courts at the city park.  Council members were unhappy with what they felt were continuous delays by the project manager from Reynolds Sealing and Striping, stating that the project manager said if the city was unhappy with his timeline they should find someone else.  Council members said another company from Louisville is coming in for the project.
 
The Council discussed sponsoring a $1,000 tagged fish in the Green River Catfish Festival fishing contest.  Phelps did not favor city funding, but Council members said they traditionally agree to fund a tagged fish personally.  The Council voted to sponsor a $1,000 fish and fund it among the Council and Mayor should the fish be caught.
 
Roger Givens addressed the Council to request that the city park amphitheater be named for George Dabbs.  The Council agreed and voted to name the amphitheater the George Henry Dabbs Amphitheater.
 
Mayor Phelps stated that there had been no effort in the past 11 years to collect delinquent city property taxes.  City Hall has launched an effort, and Phelps said so far 20 percent of back taxes have been collected.
 
The Council went into closed session.  Upon returning, the Council voted to give Mayor Phelps authority to negotiate the future sale of the Kentucky Copper building with any entity.

 

Story by Don Thomason, Beech Tree News

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