MENTONE – Instead of giving the town employees a percentage raise in 2014, Council President Tim Croy suggested a raise of $1,200 “across the board.” “I don’t have a problem with it,” councilwoman Jill Gross stated. With the approval of the $1,200 raises for each of the town’s five employees, the town council began discussion on Mentone’s 2014 budget. The raises for the clerk-treasurer and police department come out of the general fund, which is the largest of the town’s funds. Town Marshal Jim Eads asked the council to consider putting money in a line item for reserve officers when they have to leave their normal jobs to attend court. It has to be set by ordinance, but Eads didn’t expect officers to be in court more than 50 hours a year. He said the state really limits what reserve officers can be compensated for, but the state does allow for compensation if a reserve officer has to be in court. Gross suggested $500 in the general fund line item as a base amount, and Eads said that was a good starting point. With Eads and Deputy Terry Engstrand receiving raises, that also increases the Public Employees Retirement Fund from $7,600 in 2013 to $10,215 in 2014. Eads also requested the ammunition and weapons line item in the general fund to be increased by 10 percent from $2,000 to $2,200. He said it’s getting more difficult to buy ammunition, especially with the federal government buying so much of it up. Councilwoman Shelley Krueger commented that with the federal government buying so much ammunition, it’s making it harder for the cities and towns to buy ammunition. The council reduced the fire control account from $10,683 in 2013 to $5,000 in 2014, but raised the storm sewer account up to $9,500 after having to cut it for 2013. “I’m telling you, you’re going to have to cut this budget somewhere. The writing is on the wall,” Barb Ross, clerk-treasurer, stated. The preliminary total for the general fund for 2014 is $438,812. That’s up from $436,830 in 2013. The only amount raised in the cemetery fund was an increase of $1,000 for the sexton to $3,000. The total cemetery fund for 2014 is $5,200, up from $4,200 in 2013. Last year, the council cut the motor vehicle highway fund by $3,284, Ross reported. For 2014, the fund is $36,400, up slightly from $35,576 in 2013. Local roads and streets and cumulative capital improvement funds will remain at their 2013 totals for 2014, which were $14,200 and $6,000 respectively. The cumulative capital development fund is $0 for 2014, down from $10,200 in 2013. The 2014 County Economic Development Income Tax fund will be $107,000, a decrease from $127,000 in 2013. Out of the CEDIT money next year, Utilities Superintendent Josh Shepherd wants to use $20,000 for a building to store the town’s salt and sand. “Now it sits outside so when it’s time you go to use it, if it gets rained on, it’s no good,” he said. The riverboat fund will remain at $16,000 in 2014, the same as 2013. This year, the money was used for water main repair. Next year, it will be used for storm sewer. There is no money budgeted in the rainy day fund. Concluding the meeting, Ross said the budget public hearing will be at 6 p.m. Sept. 9, with the budget adoption set for 6 p.m. Oct. 7.
