MONROE - After failed attempts to restore funding to Green County Development Corporation (GCDC) and for sidewalk installation, the Monroe City Council on Tuesday passed the 2009 budget.
Following a weeks-long process in which the Finance and Taxation Committee cut nearly $500,000 in spending to bring revenues under the state-mandated cap, aldermen tried to restore two areas of funding that were chopped.
Alderman Paul Hannes tried to have city funding to GCDC returned to its 2008 level of $29,800. The committee first had eliminated its GCDC contribution altogether, then voted to commit to a donation of $14,800 in 2009.
Hannes recognized GCDC Executive Director Anna Schramke for her work of bringing companies to Green County.
"I think we should do all we can to promote that," he said. By not funding the corporation, Hannes said the city was "shooting ourselves in the foot."
Alderman Charles Koch called it a "mistake" to reduce GCDC funding.
"It's our connection to the outside as far as industry," he said. "If Green County doesn't grow, Monroe doesn't grow. And that really bothers me."
He suggested the remaining $15,000 come from "some other capital improvement fund." The GCDC funding already restored was pulled from the Street Department Capital Improvement fund.
Still, the council on Tuesday rejected restoring full funding by a 6-4 vote, with Hannes, Koch, Thurston Hanson and Charles Schuringa voting for it.
Immediately after that vote, Koch motioned to amend the budget to include $100,000 for new sidewalks. Koch said the sidewalk program has "been hacked and dropped and butchered since it began."
He said it was wrong to cut funding out of the 2009 budget, saying installations provide for "safe pedestrian traffic." Koch again tried to pull funding from the Street Department for sidewalks.
"But $15,000 came out of the street department for GCDC, and that had already been cut to the bone. Now, you tell me where we're going to get that money from," Alderman Jan Lefevre said.
Mayor Ron Marsh said the sidewalk program is self-funded, "if assessed to the property owners."
But sidewalks projects are paid up front by the city, before assessment notices go out.
"And not all of it comes back by the end of the year," Marsh said.
He added the city could not be sure what percentage would come back by the end of the year nor how many people would choose to make payments.
In the end, Koch's motion failed 6-4, with Koch, Hannes, Schuringa and Neal Hunter voting for it.
Council members against the two motions did not want cuts made from other funds.
"We cut out so much. Anymore, we'd be cutting employees. And no way do I want to cut employees," Lefevre said.
She said she would "gladly cut sidewalks in favor of employees."
She also didn't want to handcuff the city from making emergency infrastructure repairs, noting fixes needed this fall for collapsed sewer mains.
"If we get to the point where we don't have money for emergencies, we'd be in a world of hurt," she said.
Ultimately, the 2009 budget, as originally offered by the Finance and Taxation Committee, passed by a vote of 7-3, with Hannes, Koch and Hunter voting against it.
Aldermen on the committee spoke in support of the cuts and distributions they had to make during budget preparations.
"We had to make some serious cuts," Alderman Dan Henke said. "We got some help with our economic development with the Chamber (of commerce). But I think we were fair with amounts both ways," he said about reducing GCDC funding.
Hanson said the $15,000 to GCDC was a compromise.
"I didn't want to cut it, but we did decimate those budgets when it came to capital funds," he said.
Mark Coplien reminded council members of the line-by-line approach the committee used to tighten the budget.
"We even cut police overtime -- that's serious," he said.
Coplien alerted members to the "tough time" they will have in 2010.
"There's not many places to cut. We've already dove into public protection," he said.
After the meeting, Coplien said he'd rather see police overtime increased first, before other budgets.
Monroe Police Chief Fred Kelley said training probably would be the first thing in his department hurt by reduced funding.
"We can't say, 'Oh, it's five o'clock now and everybody is off and can go to training now," he said. "Someone has to be on-duty."
The next thing would be a reduced police presence at special events. Kelley said special events are times that require police and cannot be cut out, especially when the city or schools are involved with hosting the events.
"I'm just glad it (2009) isn't a Cheese Days year," he said.
The council voted 9-1 to approve the appropriations of almost $17 million, which includes $6.1 million for the wastewater treatment plant, stormwater utility and water department. Koch voted against it.
The council voted unanimously to levy about $6 million from real and personal property.
The council also voted unanimously to:
• Levy special assessments for the Business Improvement District in the amount of $28,600.
• Set $25,000 from TIF 7 funds to be allocated for Main Street annual operating expenses for 2009.
• Approved a new contract with Brown Cab Services, Inc., which includes fare increases of 25 cents to subsidize operations.
All resolutions were submitted by the Finance and Taxation Committee.
Following a weeks-long process in which the Finance and Taxation Committee cut nearly $500,000 in spending to bring revenues under the state-mandated cap, aldermen tried to restore two areas of funding that were chopped.
Alderman Paul Hannes tried to have city funding to GCDC returned to its 2008 level of $29,800. The committee first had eliminated its GCDC contribution altogether, then voted to commit to a donation of $14,800 in 2009.
Hannes recognized GCDC Executive Director Anna Schramke for her work of bringing companies to Green County.
"I think we should do all we can to promote that," he said. By not funding the corporation, Hannes said the city was "shooting ourselves in the foot."
Alderman Charles Koch called it a "mistake" to reduce GCDC funding.
"It's our connection to the outside as far as industry," he said. "If Green County doesn't grow, Monroe doesn't grow. And that really bothers me."
He suggested the remaining $15,000 come from "some other capital improvement fund." The GCDC funding already restored was pulled from the Street Department Capital Improvement fund.
Still, the council on Tuesday rejected restoring full funding by a 6-4 vote, with Hannes, Koch, Thurston Hanson and Charles Schuringa voting for it.
Immediately after that vote, Koch motioned to amend the budget to include $100,000 for new sidewalks. Koch said the sidewalk program has "been hacked and dropped and butchered since it began."
He said it was wrong to cut funding out of the 2009 budget, saying installations provide for "safe pedestrian traffic." Koch again tried to pull funding from the Street Department for sidewalks.
"But $15,000 came out of the street department for GCDC, and that had already been cut to the bone. Now, you tell me where we're going to get that money from," Alderman Jan Lefevre said.
Mayor Ron Marsh said the sidewalk program is self-funded, "if assessed to the property owners."
But sidewalks projects are paid up front by the city, before assessment notices go out.
"And not all of it comes back by the end of the year," Marsh said.
He added the city could not be sure what percentage would come back by the end of the year nor how many people would choose to make payments.
In the end, Koch's motion failed 6-4, with Koch, Hannes, Schuringa and Neal Hunter voting for it.
Council members against the two motions did not want cuts made from other funds.
"We cut out so much. Anymore, we'd be cutting employees. And no way do I want to cut employees," Lefevre said.
She said she would "gladly cut sidewalks in favor of employees."
She also didn't want to handcuff the city from making emergency infrastructure repairs, noting fixes needed this fall for collapsed sewer mains.
"If we get to the point where we don't have money for emergencies, we'd be in a world of hurt," she said.
Ultimately, the 2009 budget, as originally offered by the Finance and Taxation Committee, passed by a vote of 7-3, with Hannes, Koch and Hunter voting against it.
Aldermen on the committee spoke in support of the cuts and distributions they had to make during budget preparations.
"We had to make some serious cuts," Alderman Dan Henke said. "We got some help with our economic development with the Chamber (of commerce). But I think we were fair with amounts both ways," he said about reducing GCDC funding.
Hanson said the $15,000 to GCDC was a compromise.
"I didn't want to cut it, but we did decimate those budgets when it came to capital funds," he said.
Mark Coplien reminded council members of the line-by-line approach the committee used to tighten the budget.
"We even cut police overtime -- that's serious," he said.
Coplien alerted members to the "tough time" they will have in 2010.
"There's not many places to cut. We've already dove into public protection," he said.
After the meeting, Coplien said he'd rather see police overtime increased first, before other budgets.
Monroe Police Chief Fred Kelley said training probably would be the first thing in his department hurt by reduced funding.
"We can't say, 'Oh, it's five o'clock now and everybody is off and can go to training now," he said. "Someone has to be on-duty."
The next thing would be a reduced police presence at special events. Kelley said special events are times that require police and cannot be cut out, especially when the city or schools are involved with hosting the events.
"I'm just glad it (2009) isn't a Cheese Days year," he said.
The council voted 9-1 to approve the appropriations of almost $17 million, which includes $6.1 million for the wastewater treatment plant, stormwater utility and water department. Koch voted against it.
The council voted unanimously to levy about $6 million from real and personal property.
The council also voted unanimously to:
• Levy special assessments for the Business Improvement District in the amount of $28,600.
• Set $25,000 from TIF 7 funds to be allocated for Main Street annual operating expenses for 2009.
• Approved a new contract with Brown Cab Services, Inc., which includes fare increases of 25 cents to subsidize operations.
All resolutions were submitted by the Finance and Taxation Committee.