Dunkirk delays budget cuts

DUNKIRK — Budget-cutting options are still being considered by council members, even though the city’s 2011 budget was approved in its initial form Monday night.
City officials have said previously, and said once again Monday, they are working under the impression that a necessary $150,000 in budget cuts cannot be made during the budget process.
Council president Chuck Rife said, “We have to pass the budget, and it’s my understanding we have to adopt it as it was published, knowing full well we can’t sustain it.”
But the chief of staff at the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance told The CR this morning that isn’t the case.
“Local units of government can reduce their budget at any point in time. They have the control … they can adopt a budget rate or (tax) levy that is less than advertised,” Mary Ann Michalak said this morning.
The city’s $1.6 million budget for 2011 was based on 2010 budget figures with no provisions for any major new expenditures or raises for employees, according to clerk-treasurer Jane Kesler.
Rife and other council members have indicated that the city’s projected revenues are not expected to keep pace with the expenditure figures from the current year. Consequently, slicing the 2011 budget by $150,000 is being considered.
Rife said Tuesday morning that he and other council members were told by Kesler that because the budget figures had been published as a legal advertisement, the state would not allow them to be changed, although the budget could be amended later.
Told Michalak’s comments on the matter this morning, Kesler said she still believes the budget must be adopted as advertised, before action can be taken on cuts.
Rife said he had depended on Kesler for his information. He said he didn’t like to receive such information piecemeal, adding, “You can lower the budget and we will lower it.”
Options for making those reductions, currently under consideration, include eliminating the full-time city police dispatcher service or switching to a totally volunteer fire department, eliminating three full-time firefighter positions.
Council members are planning to discuss these proposals in more detail at a future council meeting.
In other action at Monday’s meeting, council members:•Listened to councilman Eric Bowler’s views on how to improve productivity from city employees. Bowler recommended having a city coordinator or manager who could assign employees to help with various departments, as needed.
He felt this would be a more efficient use of manpower than the current system where employees are assigned to specific departments. Bowler said under his proposal, when a department  isn’t busy, employees could be utilized elsewhere.
No action was taken on his suggestion.
•Noted that water hydrants will be flushed throughout town during the week of Nov. 1-5 during regular daytime working hours.
City officials cautioned residents to be careful about doing laundry during this period, as city water may be discolored.
•Pointed out that curbside leaf pickups are continuing this week through Friday, and will be offered again during the week of Nov. 8-12.
Leaves should be raked to the curb but not bagged, so the city crews can collect them.
•Heard a report from councilman Tom Johnson that he has already started the process of setting up holiday lighting displays in Dunkirk City Park. Johnson added that the city’s annual Feel the Warmth of Christmas in Dunkirk program is scheduled for the evening of Monday, Nov. 29. Plans call for having Santa Claus arrive in the downtown area at 6 p.m., council representative Judy Garr said.[[In-content Ad]]