Warsaw councilmen met with city department heads Tuesday to discuss the 2005 budget. Mayor Ernie Wiggins advised the council the figures before them were preliminary.

Wiggins asked that questions and concerns be held until later meetings so supervisors could present their budgets in the allotted time. Wiggins said each supervisor was advised to add $1,500 to their budget for each single employee on the city's insurance and $5,000 for those employees covering family members under the city's insurance.

If an employee's spouse is eligible for insurance at their workplace, city employees may not have family coverage.

Several department heads also were directed to include costs to upgrade the city's telephone system, the mayor said.

The proposed general fund total for 2005 was given as $10,505,171 (it was $9,612,096 in 2004).

General fund categories include salaries and wages, insurance, PERF, FICA, pension and unemployment costs and clothing allowances. Supplies for office, operating, repair and maintenance and "other" expenses are included in each department's general fund. Also included are other services and charges, such as professional services, communication and transportation, printing and advertising, utilities, repairs and maintenance, rentals and other charges. Capital outlays for land, buildings, improvements, machinery and equipment and other expenses also are included.

Employees were given a 3 percent raise.

The mayor's office budget, $105,164, shows increases in communications and transportation of $750 to $5,500. Wiggins serves on several state and association boards and must travel to these meetings. Another increase was for dues and subscriptions of $200 to $500. Machinery and equipment costs increased $4,500 to $7,500 for the telephone system.

Half ($28,383) of the mayor's salary comes from sewage utility revenue.

The human resources budget was given as $44,340. Budgeting for the new position, recently filled by Jennifer Whitaker, is still being configured.

The clerk's budget was given as $217,640. Wages and benefits for the clerk's five employees amounted to $171,340. Half ($24,000) of the clerk's salary comes from sewage utility revenue.

The council's $1,152,198 budget includes $383,588 for professional services and contracts; $34,000 for the City-County Athletic Complex; $25,000 for the downtown facade program; $31,000 for family insurance coverage for all councilmen; and $75,000 for a camera surveillance system in Center Lake Park and on the Beyer Farm Trail section of the Lake City Greenway.

Wiggins said the cameras include "panic" buttons to summon help in case of an emergency. While there are cases of vandalism in the park, no problems have been reported on the greenway.

The police department budget, presented by Police Chief Steve Foster, was $3,518,485 with personnel benefits for 48 employees, totaling $3,005,735 (an average of $62,619 per employee).

Employee benefits for the fire department totaled $2,020,234 for 31 employees (an average of $65,168 per employee). The fire department's total cost was given as $2,396,674.

The street department budget was given as $2,603,815. Employee benefits for three salaried employees, 30 full-time and 12 to 15 part-time employees was $1,513,700. Debt service for a street sweeper, generator and six large dump trucks is $139,975. Landfill fees are $110,000; recycling contract, $89,070; and asphalt or concrete costs, $220,000. Costs for new machinery were presented as $125,000 for a new front-end loader, lift and carrying forks for a new loader and trucks.

The building and planning proposed 2005 budget includes a salary for a city engineer at $52,000. Totals given for personnel services totaled $331,955. The budget includes $25,000 to purchase property for the land, water conservation, trees for $25,000 and $10,000 for a beautification task force for a total of $466,855.

The Oakwood Cemetery budget totaled $396,376, with personnel services costing $323,576. The budget includes a $5,000 share for a new telephone system. Debt service for a new back hoe is $5,700 down and $7,756 for five years through a lease arrangement. The back hoe will replace a 1969 model.

The cemetery's permanent fund, which is revenue supported, was given as $35,600. It includes a $10,000 item for attorney fees and capital outlays of $25,000 for paving a new American Legion circle, $3,600 for landscaping and $7,000 for fencing.

The parks and recreation budget totaled $1,443,938, with employee benefits given as $877,918 for three salaried employees, 12 full-time employees and several part-time employees. The budget includes a $5,000 share for a new telephone system.

The parks' cumulative capital improvement fund, paid through cigarette tax revenues, totaled $78,000. The budget includes $12,000 for the CCAC, $10,000 for construction on the Lake City greenway and $56,000 for Mantis Skate Park improvements.

The aviation budget for 2005 was $572,060, with $268,760 for personnel services. The aviation depreciation fund total was $15,000 for matching funds toward an Federal Aviation Administration grant of $150,000. The FFA provides 95 percent of the entitlement with state and local funds totaling 5 percent.

Other budget estimates were:

• Unsafe building fund - $20,000, revenue-supported.

• Parks and recreation non-reverting operating fund - $8,740, revenue-supported.

• Motor vehicle/highway - $450,000, revenue-supported.

• Local roads and streets - $200,000, supported by the fuel tax.

• Fire department cumulative budget - $255,000.

• General bond - $222,128.

• Fire pension fund - $329,422.

• Police pension fund - $400,296.

• Redevelopment general - $29,300.

• Law enforcement continuing education - $8,000.

• Cumulative capital development - $612,050; includes $150,000 for the streetscape, $30,000 for street, storm drain or sewer repairs. Another $423,050 is earmarked for engineering fees, lining five storm lines and manhole rehabilitation on Market Street. The lining process is supposed to last 100 years.

• Redevelopment bond and interest fund - $136,662.

Redevelopment budget for the northern tax increment financing district - $1,253,540.

• Rainy day fund - $79,000. Funding comes through a special distribution of Economic Development Income Tax shares. Telephone upgrades were given as $29,000 with $50,000 earmarked for a comprehensive plan update.

• Riverboat fund - $86,500 to be spent on corporate debt.

• Economic development income tax - $645,000.

Warsaw council members are: Jeff Grose, Charlie Smith, George Clemens, Jerry Patterson, Bill Rhoades, Joe Thallemer and Bob Morrison. [[In-content Ad]]