The Vonore Mayor and Aldermen approved the first reading of the proposed 2009-10 budget which includes $1,462,164 in expenses and $1,478,050 in revenue. The tax rate will remain at .3733.
Mayor Fred Tallent said the budget can be adjusted if needed prior to the second reading at the July meeting.

It is estimated the town will finish the 2008-09 year with $1,502,241 in expenses and $1,383,221 in revenue, which means money had to be taken from the fund balance to cover expenses.
Like most cities, the decline in sales tax collections has hit the revenue side of the budget. The town had budgeted for $352,000 in local sales tax and has collected $287,320 as of April 30. The budget also included $84,000 in state sales tax and the town had received $65,189 as of April 30.

Tallent said utility costs had increased. “It’s sort of putting a hardship on us.”
Tallent tried to take an optimistic look at the coming year saying maybe there would be more people spending money and more buildings being built.
“We’re hoping 2010 will be a better year, but it may not be,” he said.
In an effort to help control costs, Tallent said the town will not be filling some vacant positions at this time.

“We don’t have money to hire anyone,” he said.
The budget for the coming year also does not include raises for employees.
“This is the first time we have not given their raises,” Tallent said.

In a memo to the aldermen, the mayor noted the following improvements for the 2009-2010 budget:
$2,500 has been budgeted for repairs to Town Hall, the library and Community Center (compared to $4,500 this year).
$5,000 budgeted for Fire Department volunteers (compared to $5,000 this year)
$4,000 budgeted for park improvement (compared to $6,000)
$10,000 budgeted for paving and road repairs (compared to $20,000)
$55,000 budgeted for police cars, which will be the last of three payments made on six cars.
$46,920 budgeted for donations to non-profits, the library and the 911 Center.

In other business, the board approved a $94,100 budget amendment for the 2008-09 budget. This is no new money being spent, but money being moved from different line items to cover expenses.
They also approved the appointment of Don Harrill to the Vonore Library Board.

The next town meeting will be at 7 p.m. July 14. The second reading of the budget will be that night with a public hearing on the budget at 6:45 p.m.

mia.rhodarmer@advocateanddemocrat.com | 337-7101