Mayor ‘uncomfortable’ with budget
Washington City Council will hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. Monday to address the passage of the 2015 budget, after it was stalled earlier this month.
Mayor Brenda Davis blocked approval of the budget at council’s Dec. 4 meeting after a disagreement over an increase to the solid waste fund line item and an employee’s salary. Davis and Councilwoman Tracie Graham voted against the $12.85 million budget. Councilmen Joe Manning and Terry Faust voted for the budget. Councilman Ken Westcott did not attend the meeting.
Manning, the director of council’s finances, said auditors suggested reconfiguring the line items, which prompted a $75,000 increase in the solid waste budget and a subsequent higher fund transfer request than originally expected. The solid waste line item involves administrative costs related to collection of garbage and recyclables in the city. A motion to transfer $175,000 into that fund before the end of the year – about $25,000 more than expected – also was voted down.
Davis also questioned the anticipated payment of $97,000 to contracted employee Lynn Galluze next year. Her contract, signed in November 2013, states Galluze, the city’s computer systems coordinator, will be paid no less than $72,000 per year, and as much as $20,000 more for “miscellaneous duties.” Davis complained about a $5,000 gap between the numbers.
She hoped to schedule a budget work session to address the concerns, but said her attempts were blocked.
“I feel that we didn’t work hard enough as a council to get the numbers as low as possible,” Davis said. “I’ve tried to set up budget work sessions. We need to review the numbers and get a more reasonable figure.”
While Davis is pleased with the budget – which increases spending by $35,000 with no tax increase – she would have liked to see taxpayers rewarded with a decreased waste bill.
“If we worked harder, we could have given them a decreased rate,” she said.
Davis said she wasn’t previously given the opportunity to focus on the solid waste issue, and her recent attempts to address the issue were ignored.
“It’s very disappointing,” Davis said.
If the disagreements can be “reasonably” resolved, Davis said the budget “could be less than last year’s.”
Davis said she’s requested recent spending reports so she can better understand the figures, but did not receive them from Manning’s office. She remains “uncomfortable” with the current numbers for solid waste.
“You can’t put something in front of my face and expect me to rubber stamp something,” she said. “I want an accurate report of the money currently in the account.”
As things stand, Davis said she plans to vote “no” during Monday’s meeting.
“I’m not comfortable with the numbers in the budget,” she said.
Manning said the “figures are what they are,” and Davis and the other members of council were presented with a comprehensive spending report. He said the holidays make it difficult to schedule a last-minute budget workshop. Manning said two budget workshops were held in the fall when these issues could have been addressed.
“Everybody seemed happy with it,” Manning said of the budget.
Manning said he is confident the budget will pass Monday. Manning said a decision about the budget must be made on or before Dec. 26 so the city can receive its tax anticipation note. At the very least, Manning said the budget can be passed and amendments can be addressed in January.