Hogansville updates city budget

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, June 21, 2016

HOGANSVILLE — No one appeared at City Hall on Monday evening to speak at a public hearing for the city’s proposed 2016-2017 budget, and the city has released an updated draft of the budget.

The new proposed budget shows general fund revenue of $2,672,121 to $2,572,627 in expenses, a reduction of about $90,000 in proposed expenses.

City Clerk Lisa Kelly said the difference comes from dropping a proposed 1 percent raise for city employees and adjusting salary estimates to account for positions that will not be filled July 1, the start of the city’s fiscal year. The changes were requested by council members during a work session last week.

The police department accounts for the majority of the city’s spending at about $1.42 million, followed by administration at $575,111 and intergovernmental at $251,852.

Administration costs include salaries and benefits for city administrative staff and council members along with expenses like phone service, utilities, equipment and supplies for City Hall and travel and training costs for council members.

Intergovernmental expenses include payment for services and contributions to area agencies. The majority of the expense is $205,262 paid to the Troup County Fire Department for fire protection; the city does not have a fire department.

Other intergovernmental contributions include $15,000 to the Boys and Girls Club, $5,000 to the Troup County Center for Strategic Planning, $3,090 to the Three Rivers Regional Commission and $1,000 to the Hogansville Library Board.

City Council is expected to vote on adopting the budget during a special meeting at 5 p.m. June 30 at City Hall, 301 E. Main St.

In other business, council members unanimously approved moving forward with a first phase in work on Lake Jimmy Jackson, formerly called Blue Creek Reservoir, off Blue Creek Road, that the city intends to turn into a recreational area. The first phase will cost $500,000, which will come from special-purpose, local-option sales tax, or SPLOST, funds.

Also, City Manager James Woods on Monday told council members the city has received its first set of project orders from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for repair work to four areas damaged in the December floods. The orders are for Poplar Street, West Boyd Road, Taliaferro Drive and a drainage ditch parallel to U.S. Highway 29.

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By Matthew Strother

mstrother@civitasmedia.com

Matthew Strother is the editor of LaGrange Daily News. He may be reached at 706-884-7311, ext. 2153.