City passes appropriations for 2007-2008 fiscal year           Send a link to a friend

[July 20, 2007]  When the Lincoln City Council met on Monday evening, the first order of business was a public hearing on the proposed 2007-2008 city appropriations. There were no public comments on the proposed appropriations. Finance chairman Verl Prather said that the changes that were made were for emergencies.

The council approved the appropriations with a unanimous vote with Huskins absent.

Appropriations for the city of Lincoln follow a fiscal year beginning May 1, 2007, ending April 30, 2008.

Upgrade and maintenance expenditures included $10,000 for new windows for City Hall and the fire department; $10,000 for repairs and maintenance to sirens; $20,000 for new sirens, placing a couple farther out; and $100,000 in traffic signal upgrades, which comes out of motor fuel taxes.

The fire and police departments actively pursued grants for training and equipment to help ease the strained general budget. Several grants were for new equipment, including computers in squad cars (recently completed) and a newer firetruck, which is being sought.

Latitude was factored in for increases in Social Security payout. If the early retirement incentive should be enacted, there would be a shift from older, lower expense employees to younger, higher Social Security payout employees.

Wastewater management set $250,000 for the Jefferson Street lift station, in case it has to be replaced.

Some other areas of public buildings, grounds and services declared money back into the budget from projects that have now been completed and came in under budget. Those funds were factored in as well.

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Beyond standard department and city operations expenses, the city also contributes to a number of events, agencies and projects that promote economic growth, promote public safety and welfare, and improve quality of life.

These include:

• $15,000 to Main Street Lincoln

• $1,800,000 for infrastructure with the Commercial Park project

• $20,000 for GIS -- coordinated by Logan County

• $25,000 for economic development

• $10,000 for Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, a county-coordinated effort

• $135,000 for 911 dispatch

• $31,000 for Joint Solid Waste Agency -- recycling

• $5,000 for the Lincoln Art & Balloon Festival

• Up to $10,000 to Heritage Days -- working toward the 2009 Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial celebration

• $7,500 for Christmas parade and other contributions

Bottom line figures:

• $11,884,191 -- Estimated fiscal year revenues

• $17,014,878 -- Gross appropriations before transfers

• $1,576,028 -- Less transfers within fund and other sources

• $15,438,850 -- Net appropriations after transfers

[Jan Youngquist]

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