Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
MENTONE - The 2007 Mentone town budget will increase approximately 5 percent from 2006 if it remains as the town council prepared it Monday night.
Mentone's general budget was estimated for 2007 at a total of $355,341, up from $337,341 in 2006. Motor Vehicle Highway fund increases in 2007 by $2,000 to $34,650, while the Local Roads and Streets fund increases to $12,000 from $10,000. The cemetery fund will remain at $2,800, and the cumulative capital improvement fund will remain at $5,500.
The town council started Monday's budget workshop by giving themselves a 14 percent raise from $5,967 to $6,800. Councilman Jack Simpson suggested the raise, saying the council president should receive $2,600 per year, up from $2,059, and the other two councilmen should receive $2,100 per year, up from $1,954. The current council president is Tim Croy.
"I think that's kind of excessive myself, for us," said councilman Roger Long. "I don't think it would be fair."
Simpson said the council hasn't had a raise for years. "I think I'm worth a lot more than that," Simpson said.
Utilities Superintendent Brian Reed said he thought the raise for the council was fair. "I don't think you're out of line for doing that," he said.
Long then agreed with the raise. The council also agreed for all of the council's wages to come out of the general fund. Previously, about half of the wages came out of the general fund with the other half coming out of the water department budget.
Clerk-Treasurer Barbara Ross's wages also are split between the general fund and from the water department. The council offered to increase her salary in the general fund from $8,400, but she told them to leave it as is in the general fund and if they wanted to increase it, to increase it from the water department budget.
With 3 percent raises for 2007, Town Marshall Jim Eads' salary will increase from $35,741 to $36,813, with the deputy marshall's salary increasing from $30,500 to $31,415. Their salary increases also raises the town's FICA and PERF contributions from $5,197 to $5,300 and $5,435 to $6,500 respectively. The council's FICA will increase $17 to $550.
The budgeted amount for legal fees will increase $300 to $3,800, with the building inspector pay increase from $600 to $1,000 and the deputy clerk salary remaining the same at $1,500. Insurance for the police will remain at $25,000.
Other increases in the general fund include postage, $500 to $800 for 2007; gas and electric, $17,000 to $18,000; gasoline, $12,000 to $15,000; legal ads, $750 to $1,000; insurance for vehicles and equipment, $10,000 to $11,000; and cemetery, $8,000 to $9,000 for mowing and flags. A new line item was added for building maintenance for the new Mentone Community Emergency Services Building and set at $1,000.
Another new line item for $5,000 was added back for next year for the town's 50/50 sidewalks and curbs program. Under the program, if a property owner pays half the costs for a new sidewalk, the town pays the other half. With the increased costs of cement, the $5,000 will pay for about two new sidewalks.
The increase in the MVH budget was in the construction and improvement of alleys and streets line item from $10,000 to $12,000, as was the increase in the local roads and streets budget.
Mentone Town Council members are Simpson, Croy and Long. Their next regular meeting is July 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the Mentone Community Emergency Services Building.
