MONROE - Lobbying by the Green County Humane Society and Monroe Chamber of Commerce and Industry will get each organization about $15,000 in the City of Monroe budget for 2011.
The Finance and Taxation Committee met for almost four hours Wednesday to go over the budget line by line with city department heads and the two organizations. The committee is reviewing the budget to get it ready to be presented to the full city council for approval.
Last year, MCCI got $15,000, while the city budgeted $2,000 for GCHS. GCHS representatives told the committee they sought the budget increase to help cover more of the cost of caring for animals that come from the city of Monroe. The city wants to renegotiate the contract with GCHS and seek increased animal control services from the organization.
But $76,000 for the city's Clean Up Days was voted out, despite Mayor Bill Ross and Alderman Jan Lefevre advocating to keep it. Other aldermen said the sticker system now in place was working well, and puts the expense of the service on those who actually use it.
The committee's effort Wednesday resulted in the operating budget leveling off at 2.37 percent above last year's budget, and about $52,000 below the levy limit.
City treasurer Cathy Maurer calculated the 2011 levy limit at $6.2 million.
The budget uses $55,600 of debt service, the same as 2010, to reach the total.
Some council members who attended the meeting said they would still like the expenses reduced to equal last year's amount.
The committee will return to the table Oct. 11 to review about six capital account budgets and settle a couple other expense accounts left untouched Wednesday:
n A new IT account was given $60,000, but the new contract for IT services is not expected to reach that amount.
n Legal services was left at $120,000, but was almost cut $10,000; that will be reconsidered.
n Marketing was given $15,000 extra to cover the request of MCCI to keep its director, Pam Christopher, working for the city's economic development. That line item in the 2010 budget was moved this year to the administrator's account, with the understanding that the new administrator would pick up the duties. The administrator's account did not give up its additional $15,000.
n Green County Development Corporation was budgeted to receive $30,000 for economic development, but some council members want to see some of that money shifted to MCCI. The final decision was not made Wednesday.
n The most noticeable difference in the budget was shifting about $700,000 from the expense budget for street construction to the street construction capital account, essentially removing it from the state-imposed mandate for as 3-percent spending limit.
The Finance and Taxation Committee met for almost four hours Wednesday to go over the budget line by line with city department heads and the two organizations. The committee is reviewing the budget to get it ready to be presented to the full city council for approval.
Last year, MCCI got $15,000, while the city budgeted $2,000 for GCHS. GCHS representatives told the committee they sought the budget increase to help cover more of the cost of caring for animals that come from the city of Monroe. The city wants to renegotiate the contract with GCHS and seek increased animal control services from the organization.
But $76,000 for the city's Clean Up Days was voted out, despite Mayor Bill Ross and Alderman Jan Lefevre advocating to keep it. Other aldermen said the sticker system now in place was working well, and puts the expense of the service on those who actually use it.
The committee's effort Wednesday resulted in the operating budget leveling off at 2.37 percent above last year's budget, and about $52,000 below the levy limit.
City treasurer Cathy Maurer calculated the 2011 levy limit at $6.2 million.
The budget uses $55,600 of debt service, the same as 2010, to reach the total.
Some council members who attended the meeting said they would still like the expenses reduced to equal last year's amount.
The committee will return to the table Oct. 11 to review about six capital account budgets and settle a couple other expense accounts left untouched Wednesday:
n A new IT account was given $60,000, but the new contract for IT services is not expected to reach that amount.
n Legal services was left at $120,000, but was almost cut $10,000; that will be reconsidered.
n Marketing was given $15,000 extra to cover the request of MCCI to keep its director, Pam Christopher, working for the city's economic development. That line item in the 2010 budget was moved this year to the administrator's account, with the understanding that the new administrator would pick up the duties. The administrator's account did not give up its additional $15,000.
n Green County Development Corporation was budgeted to receive $30,000 for economic development, but some council members want to see some of that money shifted to MCCI. The final decision was not made Wednesday.
n The most noticeable difference in the budget was shifting about $700,000 from the expense budget for street construction to the street construction capital account, essentially removing it from the state-imposed mandate for as 3-percent spending limit.