Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
The Warsaw City Council received the final draft of the proposed 1999 budget in preparation of more detailed discussions with key department heads Monday.
Mayor Ernie Wiggins told the council to expect managers of the police, public works and parks departments to be on hand Monday, and that any department head the council wanted to talk with could be there as well.
"I charged the department heads with putting together their (budget) requests knowing they would have to come before you and justify their requests," Wiggins said.
He also highlighted some key appropriation requests in the proposed budget for the council to consider prior to Monday's session, namely the city's portion of the 1999 municipal elections and a bond appropriation for the Logan Street project.
"The $25,000 is our portion of the election costs for next year that we agreed with the county that we would pay," he said. "It may seem like a lot, but it's an expense we only have to pay every four years."
The $90,000 appropriation for the Logan Street project is contingent on receiving a bonding authority for the work, Wiggins said.
"If we don't get the bond, that money may not be appropriated," he said.
Wiggins also added that he has yet to receive final assessment figures from the auditor, so a firm city tax rate is not yet available.
Clerk-treasurer Elaine Call pointed out the $20,000 appropriation for the unsafe building fund, stressing that the fund is self-financed through fines and fees.
"If the revenue doesn't come in, the appropriation will be limited to the revenues received," Call said. "The $20,000 is the most that can be spent without coming back for an additional appropriation."
Councilman Jerry Patterson requested that a breakdown of the professional service line item be provided for Monday's meeting. Call said the number of professional service contracts is large, but that she would have the complete list of service providers and the amounts requested for each.
"Any contract the city has for services comes out of that fund, so the file is quite large," she said.. "But I will have it here Monday to answer any question you may have."
The budget discussion is scheduled to take place immediately following the regularly scheduled council meeting Monday.
