Tontitown Budget Approved

— The city may not have a mayor, but it does have a budget.

The City Council, in a special meeting Thursday, approved a 2013 budget. The budget projects $1.05 million in revenue and $1.12 million in expenses. A $70,000 shortfall will come from reserve.

The reserve in the city’s general fund weren’t available Thursday, said Alicia Collins, city recorder/treasurer, but enough was available to cover the deficit.

The state requires a city council to pass a budget by Feb. 1 of each year.

Alderman Clint Penzo said he adjusted the budget presented by former mayor Tommy Granata to reflect conversations with city department heads.

“I reduced the old budget by $330,000,” Penzo said. The savings came from not purchasing some property, payroll reductions and eliminating improvement to city hall, he said.

“I wanted to change the first budget because it dipped into the reserves by $400,000,” Penzo said. “That was too much.”

The budget included startup cost for the Tontitown Police Department. The expected expenses for the new department, mainly payroll, were estimated at $500,000.

The new department will take over from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in March, when a contract will end. Denny Upton, a retired former lieutenant with Springdale police and a detective with Johnson police was approved as chief on Jan. 2.

Council representatives and the Tontitown Area Volunteer Fire Department will meet Tuesday to work out how money from the city will be used. The budget includes $130,000 for the Fire Department.

Penzo suggested requiring $30,000 be reserved for equipment the city would own but the Fire Department use. Tontitown will be required by state law to have a Fire Department when it becomes a first-class city.

Cities in Arkansas are classified as first class when their population reaches 2,500. Tontitown’s population was 2,460 in the 2010 Census.

The switch in classification will probably not take place for about 10 years, said Mark Dossett, city attorney. That would be about the time population numbers from the 2020 Census are totaled.

The council also approved an ordinance allowing Collins hold her office and work for the city’s Water and Sewer Department. It also approved the resignation of Granata, who announced he was leaving Jan. 2.

Alderman Henry Piazza objected to approving the resignation.

“We need the man who has been working with the police chief trying to get a Police Department set up,” Piazza said. “We don’t need to change in the middle of the creek.”

Penzo said Granata resigned and the council didn’t ask for his resignation.

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