Joe P. Asher

Staff Writer

During a meeting of the Harlan City Council on Monday, the council began the process of reviewing the city’s budget for the next fiscal year.

Harlan Mayor Danny Howard presented a preliminary budget to the council for review.

“We’ve got our budget and we’ve set it up. I wanted to bring it to you guys to give you the time to take it home and look at it,” said Howard. “Along with that, you will have the budget for each department, and what that expense is for. You’ll also see that anticipated year-end percentage difference.”

Howard advised the council concerning the city’s largest expenditures.

“There is a spreadsheet of all the salaries that we have. Along with what we’ve talked about today, our biggest expense is our salaries, health insurance and our retirement obligations,” said Howard.

Howard explained those expenditures alone account for “about 54 percent (of the budget).”

He said the budget “is lean.”

On the front you can see the projected income,” said Howard. “And then you can see we’ve projected the expenses. If we followed everything within that said budget we would show up $85,168 short.”

Howard explained “that shortfall we feel can be trimmed during the year.”

“I will take some steps to remedy some of those. But we do have coming out of the general fund a $90,000 carryover, and we can use that to carryover this upcoming year. We do still have monies left in 2 other accounts that we have not touched. I would still like for us not to touch those for a rainy day fund,” said Howard.

Howard advised the council he is asking for a raise in rates for some services.

“I’m asking for a 2.5 percent raise on garbage (rates). I’m also asking for a 2.5 percent raise in sewer rates,” said Howard. “Right now we’re breaking out of it running in a deficit. It (sewer service) is paying it’s own way right now. I think this is a doable budget. I think it’s a workable budget, and I bring these recommendations to you, but I encourage you to look at it and if you have any questions please call us.”

A motion was made and passed declaring certain city property as surplus. Surplus items include an Isuzu sweeper truck, a 1997 Ford F-250, a 1999 Ford F-250, a 1993 350 dump truck, a 1993 Ford Crown Victoria, a 1987 Bronco, a 1983 Chevy Tanker, eight external speakers for a mobile radio, microphones for a mobile radio, a charger base with Kenwood hand held radios, seven UHF mobile radios and a mobile charger.

Howard advised the council the items had been removed from the city’s insurance.

“About three or four months ago we made sure things that were running were on the insurance, and those things that were not running were not on the insurance. Part of that was to declare these surplus properties, which we will put up for bid and try to get a little money out of them,” said Howard.

In other council activity:

* A motion was made and passed approving a contract with the Department of Rural and Municipal Aid for 2013.

Reach Joe P. Asher at 606-573-4510 or jasher@heartlandpublications.com