Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Ordinances pertaining to the city's 2004 budget were approved by the Warsaw city council on the first of two readings Tuesday.
The salary ordinance slipped through with a vote of 4 to 3.
The Republican council questioned an across-the-board 3 percent salary hike to city employees since budget hearings began at the end of August.
Voting for the ordinance were Trish Brown, George Clemens, Jerry Patterson and Charlie Smith. Against the proposal were Jeff Grose, Bill Rhoades and Joe Thallemer.
Grose has opposed the 3 percent increase since budget hearings began. Rhoades questioned specific raises to certain police department personnel. Thallemer wanted the raises to be considered either as a cost-of-living dividend or based on an employee's merit.
The ordinance comes before the board for a second reading at the Sept. 15 meeting.
During the pre-adoption hearing for the 2004 budgets, no public comments were heard, and ordinance 2003-09-02 regarding the 2004 budget was approved.
A net assessed valuation has been and will be advertised at $533,474,410, a figure estimated prior to the "official" AV of $977,140,580. The total budget has been advertised at $18,123,650, with $8,243,031 to be raised by property taxes.
The resolution to make "Line 1" decreases was approved, cutting the $8 million figure to be raised by the tax levy by $1.1 million.
A fund to accept riverboat monies was established (Ordinance 2003-09-04). The city expects about $68,000 from those revenues.
In other business, the council:
• Reviewed the Center Lake Conservation Association's August 2003 newsletter, which includes a history of the lake by Warsaw resident Neal Carlson.
• Heard that a revision of the 2000 sign ordinance will soon be considered, specifically retooling the language regarding banners and temporary sign definitions and uses.
At the Sept. 15 council meeting second hearings will be held on the 2004 budget, salary ordinance and Line 1 cuts.
