MENTONE - Most of the 2008 Mentone budget will remain the same as 2007.
But Council President Tim Croy and councilman Jack Simpson disagreed Monday on raises for the town police department. With councilman Roger Long absent, Clerk-Treasurer Barb Ross had to break the tie, and voted with Simpson to give the police a 2.5 percent raise for 2008.
Croy did not want to give any raises for next year.
Town Marshall Jim Eads requested at least a 3 percent raise for 2008 for himself, and to raise new deputy Terry Engstrand's pay from $32,000 in 2007 to $33,600 in 2008. Eads said the town started Engstrand at a low rate.
Simpson said the cost of living will go up 3 to 4 percent, and at one point offered the police a 5 percent raise. With Croy not wanting to raise the pay at all, however, Simpson lowered his offer to 2.5 percent across the board.
Ross said, "I think everyone deserves a cost of living raise."
With the raises for the police, Federal Insurance Contribution Act will increase from $5,300 to $6,000 in 2008; and Public Employee Retirement Fund monies will increase from $6,500 to $7,000.
The police department also will increase its request for clothing money by $500 to $3,500 in 2008.
Ross told Eads, "You are over your budget already." With half of 2007 over, the budget item is $163 over.
The town council members' salaries in 2008 will remain the same at $6,800 for all three members. Ross' salary out of the general fund also will remain the same, at $8,400.
Due to the questionable rising prices of gasoline, the council put $24,000 in its 2008 budget, an increase over 2007 of $9,000. Half of the budget is for the police department, with the other half for the utility department.
With the price of ammunition going up, and with the town now having five men on its police force, the council budgeted $1,250 for 2008 for ammunition and weapons. That is a $250 increase over 2007.
The council eliminated the $1,000 line item for building maintenance since the town has no building to maintain.
The 50/50 sidewalk and curbing program will increase from $10,000 in 2007 to $16,000. In 2008, the town will offer tree trimming for trees in tree lawns on a first-come, first-serve basis. In the program, the town splits half of the costs of the work with the property owner if the property owner requests the work before any actual work is done. The tree trimming is a new idea being implemented in 2008 on a trial basis.
Croy said the idea came from Eric Carlin, utilities department.
For new equipment, the town kept it at $40,000 for 2008. Of that money, Eads will request a new police vehicle, estimated at $25,000 to $28,000. Darrel Miller, utilities superintendent, said his department may purchase a street sweeper attachment for about $5,500, if one is not purchased in 2007.
The total estimated 2008 general fund is $388,056. The 2007 budget was $360,341.
The other budgets for 2008 are estimated at: Motor Vehicle Highway Fund, $37,650, an increase of $3,000; Local Roads and Streets Fund, $15,000, an increase of $3,000; Cemetery, $2,800, the same as 2007; Cumulative Capital Improvement, $6,000, an increase of $500; Cumulative Capital Development, no funds budgeted.
The public budget hearing will be at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 20.
