Rare Council Meeting For Mayor's 2020 Budget Proposal

Fairhope, Alabama


2020 budget presented

END OF MONTH DEADLINE

During a rare afternoon work session today, the city council began reviewing the mayor's budget proposal for fiscal year 2020 (beginning Oct. 1st). To comply with state transparency laws, all such meetings must be open to the public.

Total projected government revenue from all sources is $30.7 million, up from $28.6 million (actual) the year before; total expenditures are projected to be $29.9 million, up from $25.4 million for FY 2019.

Total revenue for city utilities in 2020 is projected to be $41.2 million, up from $39.9 last year; and total expenses $33.4 million up from $32.5 in 2019. Net utility profits are expected to be $7.2 million, slightly more than last year's $6.9 million.


PLANNING AND PARKS/RECREATION TODAY

Rec. Dept's. Tom Kuhl
Today's discussions concerned Planning Department and Parks and Recreation Department budgets for the coming year.

Parks/Recreation is the city's largest department including the recreation center, golf course,  pool, stadium, docks/marina, tennis center, and playing fields. Salaries are the main issue in most departments this year since more personnel are needed to cope with providing services for the ever-growing population, according to the mayor.


MORE WORK SESSIONS PLANNED

Other departments will be reviewed during additional work sessions planned later in the month. Mayor Wilson called it "council's most important role" ... and emphasized the importance of approving budgets in a timely manner on her Facebook page.

Council President Burrell told the Times he was  pleased with today's meeting and hopeful it could be done: "Hard to say for certain, but if the rest of the process goes as well as today, we should be able to accomplish that."  In the past three years, the council has continued the current budget for a time past the Oct. 1st deadline, until the new one could be approved.





Comments

Bob D. said…
Lets hope they budget for additional 1st responders, as the city grows so will problems.
Anonymous said…
Time to start thinking about replacements for everybody.
Anonymous said…
zzzzzzzzzz