concerned about overspending

The Russellville city council approved its budget for the upcoming fiscal year, but the members were less than enthusiastic about it.

The budget of $6.59 million includes the $1.5 million grant for the Rockwell park project. It was approved by a 4-2 vote in Tuesday's council meeting.

Minus the Rockwell money, the budget is slightly over $5.1 million. Last year's budget was set at $4.7 million.

Both Mark Stratton and Lanny McPherson voted against the budget - for different reasons.

This was the second year in a row McPherson has not approved of the city's budget.

McPherson said the city needs to curb its overspending, pointing out that Russellville went over budget by nearly a million dollars in the 2007-8 fiscal year.

“We just can't keep going in this direction,” McPherson said.

In recent weeks, McPherson has made no secret that he thinks the Carpenter Center is overfunded.

The new budget has $598,025 allocated for the Carpenter Center. Last year's budget allocated $518,249 for the Carpenter Center, but the fitness center went over budget by nearly $50,000.

McPherson said with only 1,200 members, that is too much to spend on the Carpenter Center.

“I can't shut it down, though,” McPherson said. “It's going to be up to the general public, whose tax dollars are being spent on it.”

Stratton voted against the new budget because of a note in Mayor Gene Zick's cover letter to the document.

The note stated that “staffing in the Police and Fire Department is being held at a reduced level through attrition.”

That essentially means that if a police officer or fireman leaves the city for whatever reason, no replacement will be hired.

“We talk a lot about the quality of life we have here in Russellville,” Stratton said. “We need to remember that the reason we enjoy a good quality of life is because of the protection of the police and fire departments.”

The police department has already lost three officers from last year through attrition. The department currently has 21 officers.

Even the council members who voted for the budget weren't entirely happy with it.

The city's estimated revenue is equal to appropriations, leaving little room for error.

“We need a strong emergency fund,” councilman Chuck Phillips said. “I know this budget isn't perfect and there is room for improvement.”

Russell Jones added: “We need to keep looking at ways to cut cost in some of the departments.”

The police and fire departments make up the biggest chunk of the budget. $1.76 million is allocated for police and $874,361 for fire from the general fund.

Administrative costs are expected to be $616,729. The city will be spending $510,279 on parks - excluding the Rockwell project. The streets department is allocated $537,959.