BENTONVILLE — The Street Department received help from the City Council in adjusting its budget after winter weather blew away much of its 2014 allocated money.
The council approved two budget adjustments, which added $12,500 to the department's petroleum line item and $50,500 to its maintenance line item. Alderman Chris Sooter was absent.
AT A GLANCE
Council Action
Bentonville’s City Council met Tuesday and approved:
• A property line adjustment at 501 N. Main St.
• A land-use map amendment to make six acres on East Centerton Boulevard at the Greenhouse Road intersection commercial
• Renewing the financial assurance contract with the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality
• A revised missing adult/missing juvenile policy for the Police Department’s policy and procedures manual
Source: Staff Report
The department has spent about $22,000 of the $47,000 budgeted for petroleum and about $67,000 of the $100,000 budgeted for street maintenance, according to Tony Davis, street manager.
The request comes as a result of "three (winter) events and a lot of 12-hour shifts," said Mayor Bob McCaslin.
Snow, ice and cold kept students in the Bentonville Public Schools out of class for 13 days this winter season. There were days where city offices were closed or operated with modified hours.
The money spent was the total spent for those line items this year, not just for the winter weather events, Davis said. It doesn't include money spent in December.
The cost for January and February was $94,139. Salt was the largest cost at $41,582, followed by $14,145 for a rented grader and operator. Fuel was the third most costly item at $12,507.
Other costs included $8,476 for sand and grit mixture, $8,072 for truck and plow repair, $5,731 for treatment set up and $3,626 for blades and miscellaneous items.
Employee overtime expenses didn't exceed its budget, so money for it was asked for Tuesday night, Davis said.
The street crews used 479 tons of salt and 850 tons of a sand and grit mixture early this year, Davis said.
The department has barely had to use any salt in the past couple years, he said, estimating 50 tons has been used during the last two years.
"Every year is different," he said.
The requested $63,000 will make those line items "whole" for the rest of the year, Davis said.
"That will put us back on track for every other month," he said.
The money will come from the city's general fund.
This is the first time in Davis' four years with the department he has requested a budget adjustment, he said.
There was no discussion from council members on the request.
"Tony (Davis) and Mike (Churchwell, transportation director) don't check the budget to see if they need to salt streets," McCaslin said. "They just go do it, and that's what we want."
NW News on 03/26/2014