Council passes budget, approves police vehicle purchase
GENTRY — The city council in Gentry, at its Dec. 5 meeting, adopted a 2023 budget, approved the purchase of two police vehicles, approved a salary ordinance, and accepted the resignation of the city clerk.
After study and review by the council members over the past month, the council accepted by resolution a budget for 2023. Along with the many special fund budgets, the council approved a general fund budget that projects income and expenditures of $3,389,600. Within the general fund budget are budgets for the police and fire departments, the city administration, the activities center, the courts, the planning commission and the park department.
The sewer budget includes projected income and expenditures of $425,000. The street and alley budget includes projected income and expenditures of $1,479,000. The water fund budget includes projected revenue and expenditures of $5,715,000. Other fund budgets include the Highway Improvement Fund, $16,000; the Library Fund, $207,065; Act 209 Incarceration fund, $9,000; Act 833 Fund, $60,000; ARPA Funds, $736,513; Fire Equipment Sinking Fund, $254,000; and Firemen’s Pension Fund, $20,000.
A resolution was approved by the council authorizing the purchase of a 2014 Chevy Tahoe with 68,788 miles on it and a 2019 Dodge Charger with 12,913 miles on it for the police department for the price, including delivery, of $16,995 and $18,995 respectively. The purchase is from Chicago Motors Inc. and the money is included in the 2023 budget.
The department has purchased a number of used vehicles due to the shortage of new police vehicles available and the wait time to obtain them.
The council approved an ordinance on three readings, setting the salaries of elected officials, the council and the planning commission, effective on Jan. 1, 2023. According to the ordinance, the mayor’s pay is $75,000 per year; the city attorney, $37,890.85, plus $150 per hour for city attorney duties and criminal appeals; the city clerk, $6,732.99; city council members, $3,726.87 plus $155.29 per special meeting attended; planning commission members, $271.75 per meeting attended plus $135.88 per special meeting attended.
The council, after expressing thanks for Jenny Trout’s service as city clerk, accepted her resignation, effective at midnight on Dec. 31.
The council will consider applicants and their qualifications and appoint a replacement to serve until a new clerk can be elected at the next general election (in 2024).
In other business, the council rejected the bid of Diamond C. Construction for a drainage project for West Main Street because it came in over the engineer’s projected budget. Gentry’s mayor, Kevin Johnston, said the project would probably be broken apart and taken on incrementally, starting at Smith and West Main.
It was reported to the council by Larry Gregory of Garver that punch list items are still being completed at the new water storage facility on Y-City Road. He said he was hoping things could be pretty much wrapped up by the end of the year. He also said American Rescue Plan Act funds ran out quickly and no grant funds would be available to the city for its water storage facility project. He said his company was still analyzing the flow information for input in a wastewater master plan for the city.
Mayor Johnston reported that stop signs had been installed on Otis Avenue, and 25 mph speed limit signs and pedestrian crossing improvements were installed on Pioneer Lane. He said the city would be collecting speed data on Pioneer Lane to determine if additional steps, such as installing speed tables, would be needed to slow traffic on the street, which passes by three of Gentry’s public school campuses.
Janie Parks, director of Gentry’s chamber of commerce, reported that the Neighbor for Neighbor program would be taking donations and applications for assistance through Dec. 23. She said gift bags were being prepared for those in need. For more information, contact Parks at the Gentry Chamber of Commerce Office, 212 E. Main Street, or by calling 479-736-2358.