Housing alliance approves budget
The board of the Metropolitan Housing Alliance in Little Rock approved the agency's 2015 budget that projects a 3.3 percent increase in spending over this year.
The $16,163,724 budget may change after the first quarter of next year if Congress decides to alter how much to allocate public housing authorities for the 2014-15 fiscal year, which began in September.
Metropolitan Housing Alliance Executive Director Rodney Forte said the authority was funded through the end of this year.
"It's a very difficult balancing act for us because we don't know what we are going to get for the full year until after maybe five months of operations has gone by," Forte said. "So we have to be very careful we are able to do what we need to do despite the way the budget process goes on."
The agency was told in March 2013 that it would need to cut that fiscal year's budget by $680,000. The agency laid off some workers and put employees on furlough to help make up for that loss. Workers are still on furlough.
Commissioner Ted Dickey noted at Thursday's meeting that 62 percent of the agency's expenses is reimbursed rent to owners who lease housing to people with Section 8 vouchers. Rent to owners is a little more than $10 million of the budget.
While that expense is tied under contract, Dickey said that it's a difficult situation because the agency's revenue is flexible due to federal funding.
"You've got it. That's exactly right," Forte said. "So when we made these flexible cuts and changes to our expense side [last year,] that was what it was all about. It wasn't about trying to hurt anybody. ... You can't just keep dipping into reserves. At some point it's going to run out, and that's not a good business model."
Forte declined to say whether layoffs are an option next year if federal funding decreases and the budget has to be cut.
Utility OKs tweaks to sewer program
Changes made to Little Rock Wastewater's sewer service-line replacement program now allow duplexes to apply for a replacement reimbursement from the utility.
The utility began charging residents $1 per month on their sewer bills for the new program in 2012. The program allows eligible applicants to receive up to $2,500 to have their lines replaced.
Previously, only owners of single-family houses were eligible.
The utility's Sanitary Sewer Committee changed that Wednesday to include duplex owners as long as they are served by a water meter that is three-fourths of an inch or less in diameter.
A resolution approving the change also clarified when approval letters will be sent out. Because of the high demand of the program and the limited amount of revenue, the utility hasn't been able to reimburse customers immediately when they apply. Little Rock Wastewater will now start a waiting list and inform customers that they are on it.
Holiday concert to be held today
The annual Holiday Music at the Arsenal is at 2 p.m. today.
The event is on the second floor of the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History at 503 E. Ninth St. Admission is free.
This is the event's fifth year at the museum. A holiday music concert will be performed by students of Margaret Wyatt's Piano and Vocal Studio.
The concert is sponsored by the Gen. T. J. Churchill Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.
Metro on 12/21/2014