Board votes to postpone bare-bones new budget

The Newbern Board of Mayor and Aldermen on Tuesday spent two hours hearing figures for the 2008-2009 budget before deciding to hold off on approving the numbers until a property tax figure is available.

Following the governing bodies of Dyer County, Dyersburg and Trimble, Mayor K.W. Dennison said he favored delaying the vote until getting numbers from the current round of reappraisals. The board agreed.

Utility bookkeeper Rosalind Green and city recorder Jason Roberts presented the budget data that included an across-the-board 20-percent increase for fuel and a seven-percent increase for health insurance.

Newbern Police Department's officers and dispatchers were the only city employees to have a raise figured into the budget - 50 cents an hour.

Roberts said the raise is to "retain and attain" personnel.

Green explained the city's consultant for the water department suggested an 80-cent per 1,000-gallons rate increase to get the department out of the red. The department had to borrow $66,000 to complete the year.

The money has been repaid, she said.

The board debated taking money from the federal-mandated upgrade to the city's sewer system --as much as half of the $259,000 raised to date -- and apply it to stanch the losses from the water system. The move would free up funds to pay for a $1-million repair beneath West Main Street, said Green, and build a minor reserve fund. Combined with the $500,000 state block grant, the money "could go a long way for us," said Dennison.

The gas department was also running near a zero profit, scratching out a $26,402 plus that dropped to a negative $12,348 with hoped-for budget items included.

The Newbern Electric System posted a $245,398 balance before proposed improvements were added. A new bucket truck, build-out along North Monroe Street to Highway 77 and 161 new poles to replace those damaged by woodpeckers was requested.

The board recessed before returning as the city's Beer Board to approve a permit for Tommy Kindle for his building on Smith Street. A former applicant was refused a permit after a May police raid found illegal alcohol sales.

Kindle's background check was suitable for the permit, said Police Chief Harold Dunivant.