Casualties of the cuts: Balanced budget proposal includes lower funding for Boys & Girls Club
Posted on Wednesday, November 14, 2007
After finding another $ 853, 801 to cut, Fayetteville’s finance director presented a balanced budget Tuesday.
Paul Becker presented the recommended cuts at the council’s agenda setting session. The recommendations, which when combined with the reallocation of the city’s 1-cent sales tax, will keep the city in the black.
“ This is something we feel we can live with, but this is certainly not a long-term solution, ” Becker told aldermen.
The recommendation includes cutting funding to the Donald W. Reynolds Boys & Girls Club by $ 98, 500; not filling vacancies in the Fire and Police departments, which accounts for $ 215, 194; and doing away with the employee picnic, saving $ 6, 400.
The proposal also includes $ 70, 000 in cuts labeled “ departmental reorganization” for the Cable Administration and Long Range Planning. Becker, after the meeting, would not explain those cuts and deferred to Gary Dumas, director of operations.
When asked whether reorganization meant that people will be fired, Dumas only repeated “ a memo will be released Friday. ”
The City Council will review the proposed cuts before again meeting about the budget Nov. 28. Aldermen are focused on the General Fund, which previously had a projected deficit of $ 2. 4 million. The general fund is the primary fund for governmental operations but only accounts for 27 percent of the city’s total budget, which is about $ 126. 54 million, according to the proposed 2008 budget.
Division directors were asked to cut their respective budgets before the budget discussion began; however, additional cuts were needed after the council opted against raising property tax by 0. 9 mills, which would have covered just less than $ 1 million. The city is dealing with the financial impact of growth in Rogers, which contributed to the sales tax being below projections.
The council has yet to discuss the funding request by outside agencies such as the Boys & Girls Club, but the proposed cuts extend to the Arkansas Air Museum, which will be cut $ 4, 000, and the Ozark Military Museum, which was cut $ 1, 200. Those two groups were denied funding by the Fayetteville Advertising and Promotion Commission, which approved its funding Monday.
Eric Schuldt, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club, told the council that he would have to discuss the funding cuts with his board before he would be able to say how the club will be affected. The council is talking about cutting its funding just about in half, he said, which will limit the club’s ability to serve the community.
Anticipating the council’s decision to cut funding for the Fourth of July celebration, which made up $ 30, 600, the A & P Commission on Monday also opted not to fund the program.
Susan Thomas, public information / policy adviser for the city, distributed a memo to the council prior to the discussion, noting the absence of the Lights of the Ozarks funding from Becker’s recommendations.
The program does not get money from the general fund, but from the capital side, and has been reduced. The capital budget also reflects a reduction in trails funding by $ 500, 000.
Ward 1 Alderman Brenda Thiel said she hopes aldermen won’t start going over the recommendations hoping to maintain funding for programs they feel strongly about, but recognize the cuts are needed.
“ I feel like there is a limit, ” she said. “ We have to take the recommendations of what the division heads think they can do. ”
Ward 3 Alderman Bobby Ferrell agreed, noting that the council asked for the cuts. He also agreed with a statement by Ward 2 Alderman Nancy Allen, who said there may be opportunities for private groups to fund some of the programs that the city is cutting.
Allen also raised the fact that the developers of the Renaissance Hotel are paying the city more than $ 300, 000 in liquidated damages for not having the hotel operational by now.
City Attorney Kit Williams cautioned that it wouldn’t be wise to count on the money until the city has received it, though the developers are legally required to pay it.
The city has received a little more than $ 50, 000 from the developers for the first two payments.
Mayor Dan Coody was not present for the discussion, having traveled to Washington, D. C., at the request of the Environmental Protection Agency. He will also be absent for the first three weeks of December but is expected to attend the next discussion over the budget, which must be approved by the end of the year.
The council is scheduled to discuss the budget again beginning at 4: 30 p. m. Nov. 28 at the City Administration Building, Room 326, 113 W. Mountain St.
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