FAYETTEVILLE -- The City Council unanimously passed its 2017 budget late Tuesday.
The council voted 6-0 with aldermen Mark Kinion and John La Tour absent from Tuesday's meeting. The $155 million budget for 2017 is an increase of about 5 percent over 2016's $147 million budget.
A new economic development program, raises for city employees from last year, new hires, increasing insurance costs and pension increases attributed to the increase.
Alderman Justin Tennant pointed out the city has passed a balanced budget every year since Mayor Lioneld Jordan's first year in office, which immediately followed a recession. He commended the city's chief financial officer of 10 years, Paul Becker, on a job well done.
"This is even more reason to pass this budget because it is so well thought out as far as a stewardship of the people's money," he said.
Council members met Nov. 19 for the annual budget discussion. At the time, Alderwoman Adella Gray said she wanted to see more take-home vehicles allotted in the budget for police patrol officers. Becker's proposed budget called for one such vehicle.
Gray said Tuesday she couldn't find a place to take out about $60,000 for another vehicle and wanted to keep the budget balanced.
Alderwoman Sarah Marsh said she also had some areas of interest, such as more investment in sidewalks, but added the city is doing the best it can with what it has. She described the budget as "well-crafted."
Most of the city's revenue, about $60 million, comes from sales tax. Its largest expenditure will go toward personnel, about $51 million.
The city's $470,000 commitment to economic development marks the biggest addition in the 2017 budget, with $106,000 allotted for a new economic vitality director.
The budget came up at the end of a five-hour meeting in which a proposed solid waste reduction, diversion and recycling master plan became the big-ticket item. About 20 people spoke during the discussion which lasted more than two hours.
The council voted 3-3, with Mayor Lioneld Jordan casting the deciding vote, to table the issue until the council's second meeting in February. Alderman Matthew Petty made the motion because Kinion, the chairman of the Water, Sewer and Solid Waste Committee, could not attend Tuesday's meeting.
NW News on 12/07/2016