By Michael V. Hannigan
The Athens City Council met in budget talks last week to plan the 2015-16 City budget.
The first thing many residents will want to know is that there is no plan to increase the tax rate. The proposal is to keep the tax rate at .645140 per $100 valuation.
Within the budget, the City will focus on “core services,” which it defines as infrastructure, public safety, water, wastewater, development and parks.
“I am very pleased with the way the (proposed) city budget is coming together,” said Mayor Jerry Don Vaught. “A lot of time, concentration and hard work on this year’s budget was given by our new city manager and finance director. They looked toward the future with the ultimate aim of seeing Athens prosper and grow. With this budget Athens is lining up to do just that.”
With core services in mind, the budget calls for about $1.4 million in General Fund capital improvements, including a 125 percent increase in funding for street repairs, going from $200,000 in the current budget to $450,000. The budget will also look at replacing police vehicles, and improvements to Cain and Coleman parks and the Texan Theater.
There will also be nearly $1 million spent on water and sewer system improvements, including the reconditioning of one of the elevated water storage tanks. Those improvements will be paid through the Utility Fund.
In addition, the City will create a General Fund reserve of $1.9 million. This will be a first for Athens, according to information released by the City.
One place the City will reduce spending is at the Cain Center. The proposed budget still calls for the City to pay about $8,000 in insurance costs and about $52,000 in water and sewer for the Cain Center, but an additional $130,000 in annual funding will be cut.
Public hearings on the proposed 2015-16 budget are scheduled for Aug. 24 and Sept. 14. Both those meetings will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the Athens Partnership Center. The Aug. 24 meeting will be in the current council chambers, while the Sept. 14 meeting will be in the Athens Partnership Center.
The council is expected to approve the budget at its Sept. 28 meeting.