City faces stringent purse for new budget

"As you are aware, Gov. Bredesen recently outlined the State of Tennessee budget for the 2008-2009 budget year. He plans to cut $468 million out of the proposed state budget and to bridge a $315 million budget gap to close the books on this year," said Mayor John Holden in an e-mail sent to department heads last week. Holden's e-mail cited reductions in local option sales tax collections and increases in fuel and health care costs that are creating budget shortfalls for more than 50 percent of cities in Tennessee. "As you may imagine, we have our work cut out in preparing the 2008-2009 budget."

In the e-mail, Holden informed department heads of steps the city will take to address the situation, including eliminating or postponing capital improvement projects; not adding new employees for the 2008-2009 budget year (current department openings will be addressed on a case-by-case basis); and reviewing fee schedules that are part of the budget-adoption process.

Department heads received the e-mail last week, shortly before scheduled budget hearings began for departments throughout the city.

Though decisions cannot be made on the majority of the budget until local tax complaints to the county tax equalization board have been decided, members of the finance committee spent mornings Wednesday, June 4 through Tuesday, June 10 going over proposed expenditures with city department heads.

Finance Committee Chairman Lewis Norman, committee members Kevin Chaney and Bob Kirk and City Treasurer Steve Anderson joined Holden at the hearings, with alderman Bart Williams also attending when his schedule allowed.

The first step of this budgeting process by the committee was to listen to department "wish lists" and talk to supervisors about essential needs and ways to trim expenditures.

Committee members also discussed a 3 percent raise for city employees.

DPD

The Dyersburg Police Department will try to implement at least 10 mobile data systems that will allow the department to use GPS tracking systems to track where a car has been during its shift and allow patrolmen to run license checks and pull up past histories on residences from their police cars.

"It is so much easier and so much safer," said Dyersburg Police Chief Terry Ledbetter. "(We have up-to-date) technology for a department our size. We have always tried to stay ahead of the curve on that."

Ledbetter suggested that the city look into waiving the probation pay period when hiring qualified officers with experience.

"I would ask to start certified officers with experience out at the step they would receive at a year," said Ledbetter, who said the move would make the DPD more competitive with police departments in the area. "Jackson ran an ad in our paper recruiting officers. I feel like in the future if we want to keep qualified people (this is a move we should make.)"

Ledbetter also discussed shifting personnel, adding existing policemen to the bike patrol and domestic abuse, the success of officers taking home their squad cars and the possibility of moving CID into the Jenny Bell building with very few modifications.

"There would be more space," said Ledbetter. "It would be feasible to fix it up cosmetically inside. They are crowded downstairs, now."

A new roof for the Jenny Bell building is also a need discussed by the committee.

"The biggest part of (my budget increases) are the roof and the mobile data," said Ledbetter.

DFD

The Dyersburg Fire Department would still like to build a new fire station, a large capital outlay project that was also requested in last year's budget.

Dyersburg Fire Chief Bob Veal reported to the finance committee that the projected cost of the proposed three-bay fire station located off Mall Boulevard would be $1.2 million, according to the new city engineer.

Requested expenditures include updating damaged equipment; replacing one set of rescue/extraction equipment; updating firemen's boots from rubber to leather; equipment needed for rope and confined-space training; educational classes for Dyersburg firemen and reserves; turnout gear; safety information for preschools, schools, businesses and civic organizations; updating national fire code books; and a mobile personal computer with car charger to aid with pre-planning and inspection processing for industry, assemblies and commercial buildings.

"How is the cooperation with the ambulance service with your people on the scene?" asked Kirk.

"It is 200 percent better than it was when we started," said Veal. "And that tells you how bad it was. We make the scene and stabilize the incident until the ambulance arrives. The ambulance service is doing a good job, but in the future, somebody has to look at it."

Golf Course

City board members will soon have to make a decision on the Dyersburg Golf Course, which has been operating at a loss since 2003.

"Jim, we've got a problem," said Norman. "Not enough revenue, and unfortunately, not all of our residents play golf."

The finance committee addressed expenditures and raised golf fees in last year's budget and director Jim Putman is continuing to encourage the sport with programs targeting both youth and seniors.

Tee-markers and trashcans on the course have been donated by local businesses through the Golf Association, and Putman has been asked to look at trail fees for players who bring their own carts and the cost of utilities for players who rent cart space. Holden also requested Putman look into a possible discount for seniors who play.

"It's kind of like sanitation," said Holden. "We've stopped the bleeding a little bit, but it's going to take some time."

"This bottom line is better than I was expecting," said Kirk.

"A 14 percent decrease in expenditures, why if every department did that, we'd be in good shape," said Williams.

Expenditures requested in the Golf Course budget include two weed-eaters, an edger, a trailer sprayer and six gas-powered golf carts.

Recreation

City Parks Director James Earl Johnson reported to members of the finance committee that he raised pool rates at Dyersburg Activity Center. Rates to swim have been raised from $2 to $3 for individuals, with family passes rising from $50 to $60 and individual season passes rising from $30 to $40.

"These prices are in line with Newbern Pool," said Johnson, who said a family pass at the Okeena pool stayed at the current price of $75.

Johnson also said that running booster club money through the parks department has worked well within the past year, with participants of Slayton Moore Field especially happy with the change in policy.

Johnson also suggested:

* adding swimming lessons at the Bruce pool

* locating a sponsor to build another pavilion at Okeena Park

* adding a sand volleyball court at the DAC to begin a youth league

* adding sand boxes for the children to play in at Okeena Park

* allowing the Master Gardeners to complete projects at Kiwanis Park

* adding a spray park to the Okeena Pool area and underwater lights when the pool is renovated

* requesting a new sign from Kiwanis members for the Kiwanis Park

* adding a park at the former location of Dyersburg Fabrics with a sign recognizing the workers of the mill

* adding a water fountain and curb work at Kiwanis Park

"James, you've got to be as old as I am. Are you going to retire any time soon?" asked Kirk.

"(I'd like to) within the next year," said Johnson, who said he is not in the position to recommend his replacement and doesn't want to announce his retirement next spring in case he changes his mind. "The program staff needs a lot of work. (The DAC) is personal to me. I think my replacement should work with me three months and maybe I can even work part time after my retirement, but I don't want to announce it just yet."

Engineering

The City of Dyersburg is moving forward in creating an electronic archive of drawings and plans, with city GIS manager Carmen Cupples and newly-hired, part-time City Engineer Brad Davis updating finance committee members on expenditures and programs needed to maintain and implement programs compatible with the city's GIS systems.

Expenditures noted include construction, new inspection, GIS, utility projects, water regulations and highway training for staff; costs of Engineering Consulting Services, testing materials, density and proctors for subdivision construction and utility construction; GIS materials and mapping reproductions, operating supplies associated with GPS/GIS systems for in-the-field-activities; and annual maintenance for GIS software used by all departments; the Oce plotter service agreement and other maintenance costs.

Sanitation

Finance Committee members agreed that a rate increase for garbage pickup for Dyersburg residents would not be a good idea at this time, with the department recently reducing its pickup to once-a-week service.

"I just don't feel right about cutting the service and raising the price," said Kirk.

Proposed expenditures include a front-loader truck for the city's dumpster service, a high-track bulldozer with landfill package and wheel wash for the landfill, repairs on a compactor and dozier, a new access road, grass seed, fertilizer and dumpster boxes.

Gas, Water and Wastewater

Gas, Water and Sewer Distribution director Mike Morgan has been cross-training employees within the gas and water departments and reported that city meters should all be switched over to fireflies in two to three months if all goes as planned.

"You've done studies, haven't you, Mike?" asked Holden. "In the Pioneer Subdivision, what is the difference in the time it took to read meters individually and using the firefly system?"

Morgan said that the route that used to take meter readers one and one-half days to read, now takes five hours.

"Technology is wonderful," said Kirk.

Morgan also reported on ways his department is addressing water loss and leakage throughout the city. According to Morgan, the problem is twofold: finding unregistered leaks and comparing consistent numbers in pumped water and purchased water.

"When you compare what is pumped to what is sold, you are not going to get a good number (because of the billing cycles,) said Morgan, who would like to take readings once a year similar to the practice of officials in the gas department. "It has improved. We've found several leaks that we fixed, some on fire lines that weren't being metered."

Working with City Engineer Brad Davis, Morgan has also been documenting old city water lines by camera. The recordings have been sent to companies interested in addressing problems.

"Mike's done a good job out there addressing things that needed to be addressed," said Holden. "We are getting there."

Members of the committee also discussed the advantages of moving to a four-day work week in certain city departments to address fuel costs, noting that the Dyer County Highway Department has been working four 10-hour workdays for approximately six weeks.

Water Department

Water Purification Supervisor Jeff Moore reported on proposed expenditures in his department including a filter-control valve at the Dyersburg Water Plant, upgrading the SCADA system and maintenance programs for the clarifier and water tanks.

"The tank maintenance program is going great," said Moore, who said that water tanks in the area have been washed out and painted every two years and inspected annually through the program. "I think that was a great move on our part. It has kept our equipment up. It is money well spent and it is spread out."

Finance Committee members will not meet with local organizations requesting donations this year. Instead, allotting city funding will be taken care of by Anderson and Holden. Additional budget issues will be addressed when the city learns the amount of revenue to expect from the Dyer County tax rate.