West Siloam Springs approves budget

WEST SILOAM SPRINGS, Okla., — The Town Board approved its annual budget for the coming fiscal year during their meeting Monday.

The board of trustees and municipal authority voted for Mayor Elaine Carr and Vice Mayor Rhonda Wise to approve the budget for the new fiscal year, which takes effect July 1. The town’s budget will have about $2.8 million in expenditures, according to Kris Kirk CPA, the town’s accountant.

Kirk said the town has a carryover of $80,000 in the general fund and $411,472 in the municipal authority, according to a copy of West Siloam Springs’ budget for the next year. The town is expecting revenue of $959,000, Kirk said. The total comes from fine collection and sales tax revenue, Kirk said. The CPA listed the town’s debt at $73,306.

The biggest budget items will be granting a four percent increase for town employees during their annual review and will cost the city $27,000 for all of the employees; buying three new police cars for $50,000 a vehicle; and transferring the salary of Court Clerk Leslie Colantuono back to the general fund for $15,000.

Colantuono was receiving half of her salary from the Water Department and half from the general fund. The total expenditures will leave the general fund with an ending carryover of $8,245 and the municipal authority with a balance of $108,486

The budget proposal will move 100 percent of her salary to the general fund. The town hasn’t yet set dates as to when they will accomplish the budget goals. When the town feels they have the necessary money to act they will bring it before the board for a vote, Kirk said.

“Just because we budget it and put it in there, we know what the temperature of our budget is going to be when we make these decisions down the road,” said Trustee Marty Thompson.

Other business discussed and voted on by the board of trustees and municipal authority included:

• Approving the May 2020 financial reports.

• Approving rezoning a portion of the Lewis Property located at 397 Tillery Lane from residential to commercial.

• Approving the 2019 combined amendments of the water purchase contract with the Southern Delaware County Regional Water Authority.

• Tabling the resolution to conduct random drug tests on town employees.

• Approving handing out the employee handbook to all employees to look over and revise. Revisions are due back in 30 days so the revisions can be looked at.

• Approving donating the town’s cotton candy machine to Mosley Public Schools in Colcord, Okla.

• Approving taking no action on closing the town’s Cox Communications account.

• Hearing reports from town officials Police Chief Larry Barnett; Code Enforcement Waylon Chandler; Carr; Wise; Town Clerk/Treasurer Carolyn Butts; Town Attorney Jot Hartley.

• Approving Rhonda Wise to temporarily assume the office of Assistant Town Clerk.

• Denying the motion to remove Butts from the bank record for authorization to sign checks.

• Voting to renew the contracts of Hartley; Kirk; and Judge Rex Earl Starr for another year.

• Tabling the discussion on approving the renewal contract for Robert St. Pierre, CPA, PC to handle the yearly audits of West Siloam Springs.

• Voting to retain Charly Orman and Colleen McGuire. Marc Hayot may be reached by email at mhayot@nwadg.com.