Ironton City Council ratified a budget last night that will financially steer the city through this year.

Wednesday, February 20, 2002

Ironton City Council ratified a budget last night that will financially steer the city through this year.

"It’s a good budget," Mayor Bob Cleary said, adding that this budget was a synthesis of the budget he proposed and what city council’s finance committee recommended.

Cleary said the budget will allow the city to keep about $370,000 in the coffers to carry over into 2003 while not cutting employees.

The budget, the mayor said, contains cuts to operation expenses, including office supplies and equipment, and the city administration will need to keep a close eye on overtime paid out to the city’s hourly employees.

In addition to the cuts, Cleary said, the city has budgeted a 35-percent increase in insurance costs. Cleary said he hoped the increase will be less, but the city wanted to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. Cleary added the city wouldn’t add any new employees during this budget year.

"This is the first time in 12 years of my city government life," Cleary said that he has seen a permanent budget in place before the temporary one expired. Normally, Cleary said, council and the mayor meet in special sessions up to the deadline in order to get a permanent budget in place.

The city’s current temporary budget was ratified in December of last year in order to comply with state law. The temporary budget was to expire in March.

"Now, we know what we have to work with," Cleary said.

Council chairman Jesse Roberts said he was pleased with the outcome, but said the city will have to tighten the reins and live within its means. He said, barring any emergency, the city will have to watch the overtime pay and make this budget work.

This budget comes after the city’s residents shot down a 0.45 percent increase in the municipal income tax. Residents, in about a 2-1 margin, voted down the issue.

At the end of next month, city residents will also see the temporary $2.50 municipal fee on their water bills removed. The fee was placed on the water bills on April 1, as a bandage measure until residents could vote on the income tax issue in November.