MENTONE – For the 2012 budget, the Mentone Town Council Monday night had to come up with a way to reduce it by a total of $19,874.
Out of the General Fund fund, the council needed to reduce $14,934, and reduce the Motor Vehicle Highway fund by $4,940.
“There are very few places I see where we can make the reductions,” said Barb Ross, clerk-treasurer. “We can take a portion out of storm sewers, park and cemetery and sidewalks and curbing. That’s the only places I can see.”
Ross said the reduction was mandatory and that the board had to make a decision. She said the town has money in its Economic Development Income Tax fund they could use for storm sewers should the town need it.
For the General Fund reduction, the council decided to take $6,000 out of storm sewers, $2,000 out of park, $6,000 out of cemetery and $1,000 out of the trees and sidewalks fund.
In MVH fund, the council reduced the “other” fund by $1,000 to zero, and reduced street improvement fund by $3,940.
“The reason we have to do this is because of the circuit breaker and miscellaneous (funding) is not as much,” Ross said.
The circuit breaker is the cap on the property tax rate.
In other business, the council:
- Heard a presentation from Jack Squire, site development officer for Unison, about Unison purchasing Mentone’s annual lease with Verizon for the town’s wireless tower site. The council tabled the matter to gather more information.
- Heard a request from Town Marshal Jim Eads for the town’s police to be paid overtime if an officer has to go to court during their off time.
Council President Tim Croy said with two full-time officers and three reserves, the police can avoid overtime with comp time and saw no need to grant the request.
The council tabled the matter for further investigation.
- Heard a request from resident David Hudson to reconsider allowing residents to have chickens in the town limits. Last year, the council voted to not change its ordinances that basically prohibited “urban farming” within the town limits. Because the council didn’t change the town ordinances, Hudson had to get rid of the chickens he had on his property. Monday, the council voted again not to change the town ordinances.
- Approved to pay two requests from residents for tree removal. One request was $175, and the other was for $900. In the town’s tree and sidewalk program, if there is funding available, the town will pay half the cost of tree removal. The request must be made before any actual work is started, and lasts only while money is in the budget.
- Approved changes to the town employees’ insurance.
- Approved Croy as the town’s interim building inspector until the town can find a replacement. No applications for the position have been submitted as of Monday.
