$7,352,260.18 in anticipated revenue with $7,310,209.18 planned expenditures
The Saratoga Town Council passed Ordinance 830 on its first reading May 19 at its regular meeting. Ordinance 830 is the 2015/2016 town budget.
For the first time in years, the public was presented with a comprehensive budget breaking down the general fund and Enterprise Funds, including perceived revenue and expenditures.
Currently the general funds anticipated revenues are $3,259,936.00 while the Enterprise Funds are $4,092,324.18.
Anticipated expenditures are $3,256,855.00 for the general fund and $4,053,354.18 for the Enterprise Funds.
The Enterprise Funds were broken down to reflect payroll and general expenses for each department.
Glee Johnson, the newest board member of the Community Garden Club questioned why their budget was considered Enterprise Fund.
Mayor Ed Glode said the council is still trying to sort that out, but when it was set up, it was set up as an Enterprise Fund.
Because the budget is a changing document until the third reading, the Saratoga Sun will not publish the breakdown until the third reading.
The town council is having a budget meeting on May 28 at 5:30 p.m. at the Saratoga Town Hall to continue to work on budget items.
In other business, Don Sherrod talked to the council about community cleanup which is scheduled for the first week in June.
“It’s going to take more than a week,” Sherrod told the council.
Sherrod said that if the town does not plan to enforce the nuisance ordinance that was passed a few years ago, cleaning up the town may not happen.
“Does the town council plan to enforce the nuisance ordinance as it written?” Sherrod asked. “I don’t expect an answer tonight, if you want to give it some thought. I have talked to some people who are interested in serving on a committee, but this is the first thing they brought up.”
Sherrod told the council without enforcement, the nuisance ordinance is useless.
Sherrod is working with the Saratoga Volunteer Fire Department to go up and down the alleys to assess what needs to be removed for safety reasons. The alleys are filled with debris and junk, Sherrod said. Once that is completed, they will assess buildings.
Sherrod asked about money to remove vehicles. Councilman Judy Welton said there is a Make a Wish Program which will pick up cars – it doesn’t have to be a working car, she said. Anyone interested in having a vehicle removed can contact Jonathan Moore at the Town Hall 307-326-8335 to be added to the list. A minimum of six cars are needed for the Make a Wish program to pick up the cars.
The problem is more than cars, Glode told Sherrod, as people are leaving refrigerators out because it is cheaper than the $35 fee to remove the Freon gas.
Glode said the town has a few messes of their own and they need to lead by example.
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