Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
AKRON - Akron council members will meet at 5:15 p.m. Friday in an attempt to cut $100,000 from their budget before adopting it Monday.
The advertised budget for 1997 calls for a 209 percent change in the tax levy overall, with a 1,070 percent increase in the motor vehicle fund.
Council members say the problem occurred because of errors in calculating the budget over the past two years that have left the town with a zero operating budget. Clerk-treasurer Pat Mitterling said when she came on board in January, the budget hadn't been approved and she had to ask for additional appropriations. The state board of accounts had disallowed the budget because it contained the wrong dates when it was submitted.
An error in calculating the MVII fund for 1996 caused $30,865 in appropriations to be denied. The town received only $38,561 of the $69,426 needed to fund the account. Council members said the general fund contained similar errors.
Former council member Bob Allen said it is doubtful that the town will ever catch up due to past errors, even if it utilizes the maximum 5 percent levy increase each year.
Nancy Reed, clerk-treasurer from North Manchester, will advise the council on adjusting the budget. Reed has been acting as a mentor to Mitterling.
