GIRARD Council gives OK to draft of $3.5M budget

Municipal court will increase costs to defendants as one way of becoming self-sufficient, the judge says.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
GIRARD -- City council has approved the draft of a balanced general fund budget of nearly $3.5 million for 2003.
The budget, which must be approved before the end of the year, calls for municipal court to become self-sufficient.
It also provides for 3.5-percent pay raises to union workers that were previously negotiated and no new layoffs.
Judge Michael A. Bernard said before Monday's special council meeting he will have to increase court costs and cut expenses, which are paid out of the general fund.
With a court-cost increase and cuts, Judge Bernard said court revenue will exceed $827,000 next year.
This is the bulk of $1.1 million council had to cut from the budget to bring it into balance.
The budget will be presented today to the Girard Financial Planning and Supervision Commission, which was appointed after the city went into state-imposed fiscal emergency last August. The commission is designed to oversee the city's fiscal recovery.
Increasing court costs
Judge Bernard said he plans to increase court costs from $60 to between $72 and $75.
"I don't want to make the costs oppressive," the judge said, noting that if the costs are too high, not everybody will be able to file a civil lawsuit.
In addition, the judge said he will not replace one of two civil clerks and pay for all three probation officers, rather than two, out of court funds.
Of the increase in costs, Judge Bernard explained, $10 will go toward paying off the court's portion of the mortgage on city justice center and other capital expenditures.
Judge Bernard pointed out that the court's receipts have been down, and about half the court costs go to county and state governments.
Cuts
To balance the budget at $3,519,741, lawmakers cut from $42,000 to $30,000 from the city-operated senior citizen van, which will probably mean reduced hours of operation.
City hall utilities and maintenance was reduced from $253,000 to $225,504, and the engineering and zoning office was reduced from $17,522 to $9,022 because the department has been certified to approve construction plans and collect the fees.
City Auditor Sam Zirafi told council that the budget does not reduce the city's accumulated deficit of $2 million and it's only time before that debt must be addressed.
City Safety Director Frank Rich and Councilwoman Kathleen O'Connell Sauline, chairman of council's finance committee, said layoffs are probable if departments don't stay within their appropriations.
yovich@vindy.com