Council readies budget for '02

December 31, 2001 at 12:00a.m.

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A committee is proposing to increase general-fund spending by about 2 percent.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
SALEM -- City council's finance committee is preparing a 2002 spending plan that budgets about $4.1 million for the general fund.
The proposed budget probably will be considered for passage by council early in January, said Councilwoman Nancy Cope, R-at large, the finance committee chairwoman.
Slight increase: The proposed $4,125,600 general fund budget will be a slight increase over the nearly $4,033,000 that was spent from the 2001 general fund.
"It's tight but manageable," Cope said of the proposed 2002 budget. "The department heads have done a tremendous job of holding the line on expenses."
Wages and benefits account for much of the nearly 2 percent increase between this year's and next year's spending plan.
The 2002 budget calls for about $1,250,000 in capital improvements spending. That's down about $550,000 from the amount spent this year.
Improvements: The 2002 capital improvements fund includes about $350,000 for the city's share of a project to improve East State Street in the city's commercial district.
The project includes lowering Millville Hill to improve drivers' ability to see other traffic, and installing new traffic signals and turning lanes.
About $345,000 is budgeted for street and sidewalk improvements.
A proposal calls for setting aside an additional $170,000 in the capital improvements fund to renovate playing fields in city parks.
Nearly $100,000 more from the fund may be used to buy property along North Ellsworth Avenue to expand Waterworth Memorial Park, Cope said.
The 2002 budget proposal earmarks about $1.4 million for the police department. That's up from about $1.3 million spent in 2001.
The fire department's budget may be about $940,000, up from the nearly $919,500 the department has spent this year.
Carrying over: It's expected that the city will carry over into 2002 about $400,000 to $600,000 from 2001 funding.
Governmental budgets typically carry over some money from one year to the next so there will be enough to pay bills early in the new year.
The city's 2000-2001 carry-over was about $750,000.
leigh@vindy.com