City Council passes $55.7 million budget
The Madison City Council unanimously approved the city’s $55.7 million 2010-2011 budget Sept. 27 during the final meeting of the fiscal year.
The general fund budget, which is $30.6 million and includes a 15 percent insurance rate hike, no cost of living adjustment and no performance step increase for city employees, is approximately $86,574 less than 2009-2010, but does not include tax increases, layoffs or reduction in city services.
“All of us are concerned when you have to ask employees to do more with less, especially when they’re sharing the burden,” Mayor Paul Finley said. “There is a team of people out there working for the citizens of Madison and I want to reward them for that.”
One way Finley hopes to be able to restore the performance step increases is to grow the cities tax base with more quality of life businesses.
“That’s what we’re focused and committed to doing,” Finley said.
In other council actions:
-The council unanimously approved the annual appropriation to the Madison City Schools in the amount of $50,000.
Superintendent Dr. Dee Fowler said the money would be used to help fund the crossing guards for the schools.
“We see this as a great opportunity for the city to help all the citizens of Madison,” Fowler said.
By funding the crossing guards, Fowler said the city is helping to ensure the safety of the students, while also speeding up the flow of traffic in the mornings and afternoons.
Fowler also thanked the council for their continued support of the school system.
“A lot of times, the Board of Education gets dealt a bad hand: five cards that are very hard to play. A lot of times, the city gets dealt a bad hand: five cards that are very hard to play,” Fowler said. “But over the last few years, we’ve been able to put all 10 of cards together and select the best five to play. And working collaboratively means so much for our community.”
-The council approved an agreement with the city of Huntsville for $25,000 to provide public transportation to disabled and handicapped residents.
-The council approved an agreement with Dill Construction for approximately $15,000 to install fences at the site of the new Dog Park located near the Mill Creek Greenway.
