Financial Advisory Committee (Cont. #4)

(continued from previous post) 4. Recreation Department With the exception of the new Recreation Center (new employees, maintenance expenses, etc.)-- the budget is expected to be flat--according to Director Eddie Boyette. Replacement vehicles, new mowers, and a new "drag machine" are needed to maintain playing fields. [The City maintains all the school practice ball fields (Baldwin County Public School System) at no charge-- and no longer charges per event at its Veteran's Stadium either (used to be $1,000).] Plans are to buy new land for recreation as well ($500K). 5. Adult Recreation Manager Sherry Sullivan said a new part time employee is needed for the museum and repairs are urgently needed to the lightning-damaged fire alarm and roof at the Nix Senior Center ($35K to fix). (a) Community Development Funds $320,000 is budgeted next year, a significant increase. Sherry Sullivan said a new item is to be added this year: an up to $25K donation to the Downtown Merchant's Association. Other donations by the City are expected to include : Honor Flight ($7.5K); Chamber of Commerce ($41K); BCEDA ($10K); Rotary Youth Club; Boys and Girls Club; The Haven; various environmental causes; charities; et al. Money for the "City Sketches" magazine and website maintenance/upgrades are included as well. 6. Information Technology Manager Jason Collee said numerous computers, work stations (Police Dispatchers), monitors and other misc. hardware/software needed replacing. No replacement parts are available for much of the City's equipment due to its age (a 1991 vintage computer had just failed that day). Collee also mentioned the Police Dept's. backup power supply was non-operational-- and loss of data was possible if not addressed. The much needed replacement of the AS 400 city wide server ($2 million) is not in this budget-- but preliminary improvements to its connecting network infrastructure (fiber optic routers/switches) is. Improvements to the city's aging phone system, time clocks, and one new vehicle are included in the IT budget as well. [Chairman Chuck Zunk brought up the possibility of City employees using their own vehicles and being reimbursed for mileage-- rather than buying more City owned vehicles for routine transportation.] A computer obsolescence program (scheduled replacement) was also mentioned by Collee.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Seems like every Tom, dick and Harry with a good sob story gets a donation. guess they think were made of money
Anonymous said…
i think weve go to much recreation. thats the main reason were going broke. get back to basics. police fire garbage pick up.
JoeTheBaptist said…
I think the County ought to take care of its own fields.
CaptainJack said…
does the chamber of commerce run this town or the people? no more donations.