Council reviews budget, approves three ordinances
By Martin Couch
The Bryant City budget is showing signs of improvement, according to City Finance Director Gary Hollis.
"Our receipts have been good and looking much better than last year," he told the City Council on Thursday. "We spent a lot of time working on[more] budgets and it's an ongoing process."
Hollis noted that the new phone system had been installed and the Flynco change order 10 has been paid.
His monthly treasury report showed the General Fund ending balance at $1,852,205.67 and the Street Fund had an ending cash balance of $120,276.29. Other higher ending balances were in the designated tax fund at $1,363,817.83 and the Street Franchise projects fund which is at $2,556,128.61. The sum total of all the funds, debt reserve, capital improvement revenue, firemen's pension fund, etc., was $10,514,573.16.
In November, the one-cent sales tax brought in $300,961.45. Other balances included $324,453.69 for the fire special 3/8 percent sales tax; the 1/8 percent sales tax for the Parks and Recreation is at $740,405.75; and the 2010 Park Construction Bond reports a balance of $486,173.62.
For the Water/Wastewater financial operations report, revenues for water sales was $189,798 in November to bring, to date, a total of $2,097,044. Sewer revenues were at $237,499 for November and, to date, a total of $2,530,086.
The Council also reviewed and approved the proposed budget for Dec. 31, 2010 that stated the current budget of $1,484.829.48 as a final budget of $1,484,829.48.
Also, City Human Services Director Shayne King announced that she had received notification that health insurance rates for city employees will not increase as of Jan. 1.
"We didn't have enough points under the minimum as of Jan. 1," King said.
The Council also had third readings of three ordinances.
Ordinance 2010-24, amending the comprehensive zoning ordinance to rezone certain property from residential mixed use to highway commercial at Ethel Road was passed; Ordinance 2010-25, amending the comprehensive zoning ordinance of the city of Bryant to rezone certain property at Springhill Village from R-2 to R-1-S passed; and Ordinance 2010-26 to amend the comprehensive zoning ordinance 99-16 and map of the city of Bryant to correct and clarify zoning of certain property in the Springhill Village subdivision, Phase 1.
