Neosho City Council members will sit down with city administrative officials Tuesday evening to go through the numbers of a proposed budget for next fiscal year that is near bare-boned funding-wise.
The work session will begin at 6 p.m. at the Neosho Civic Center, 109 W. Main St.
While the public is invited to sit in on the proceedings, the meeting won’t be participatory, according to interim city manager Harlan Moore. However, city residents are still welcome to attend the open meeting and listen, he said.
“It’s a work session, so it will be pretty informal,” Moore added.
Council members will discuss the tentative budget with department heads and ask questions. Moore had previously stated that he also expected this first work session — another is scheduled for next Tuesday — to touch on educating council members about municipal finances.
The fiscal year 2011 budget draft was released last week. It is available for viewing and download on the Daily News website (neoshodailynews.com) as well as on the City of Neosho site (neoshomo.org).
The budget reflects funding cuts across the board, as the city trimmed off more than a million dollars from its expense account.
Included in the financial belt-tightening, among other cuts found in the budget, department staffing and operating expenses have already been slashed city-wide — especially police and fire; the municipal golf course would receive no money out of the general fund; the city Rec Plex would be shut down; and the Center for Seniors would get $45,000 less than this year for programs, supplies and capital improvements.
Also, while having no effect on general revenue, the Neosho Area Chamber of Commerce would receive no monies from the economic development sales tax, which in the past has funded the department of economic development. Moore, interim city manager, has previously stated that, by law, proceeds from that sales tax are only supposed to be designated for funding capital improvements.
The police and fire departments were the hardest hit, with the police force losing 11 positions total and the fire department 16, which includes four paid-on-call volunteers. Both departments have applied, or will apply, for grants to subsidize operations.
Aside from police and fire, key staff titles have been eliminated throughout all departments, including that of events coordinator, building inspector/construction manager, and communications director, along with others.
One of a few silver linings in the proposed budget can be found in the streets department. While there is less money set aside for personnel, operating expenses and equipment maintenance, there is $10,000 more than this year for both street maintenance and snow removal, respectively.
Also, the city pool would get an extra $8,260 for leak repair, though this reflects money saved by closing the Rec Plex.
