Gordo City Council Talks Budget

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

With a new fiscal year approaching in October, the city of Gordo is gearing up to pass its budget for 2018-2019. During the August 6 city council meeting, Mayor Craig Patterson discussed budget with the council members. Patterson wanted to answer any of the council’s questions regarding the budget in anticipation of getting it passed at next month’s council meeting

“If you look at it (the budget), actually we’re down $6,000 off of last year,” Patterson told the council. “I’ve told y’all in the past I like to stay within our budget. I don’t want to project out and us not have the monies. Right now, we’re running revenues over expenses at about $70,000. That don’t hurt my feelings.”

“For the audience,” Patterson said, “right now we’re looking at a 1.1-million-dollar budget for the town. That also includes another vehicle for the police. We’ll be surplussing some of their older stuff and get a new vehicle.” The new budget also includes an almost 2.5 percent raise for city employees.

Besides a new vehicle for the police department and pay raises, another adjustment in the budget is reflected in insurance costs. “Over the years, it’s just been a set amount that was paid for the insurance,” said Patterson. “Basically, I’ve taken that. It is a minimum increase to the employees, but we’re going to set it up percentage wise – 86.5 percent (paid by city) to 13.5 percent (paid by employee) split. So, if we continue like the last few years, our insurance increased. Now it will be shared by the employees. That percentage of it.”

“Will this eat up their raise?” asked Councilwoman Floy Goode.