Jemison passes $3.4 million budget

Published 3:55 pm Tuesday, October 8, 2013

The following is a budget overview:

•Revenues for Fiscal Year 2013-2014 include: city sales tax, $772,690; sales and use tax, $60,000; boat sales, $100; rental tax, $12,500; lodging tax, $1,200; 1 percent sales tax debt service, $300,000; ad valorem tax, $171,000; MFG home decals, $225; motor vehicle tax, $25,000; city gasoline tax, $120,000; cigarette tax, $51,000; alcohol wholesale taxes, $61,000; application fee for alcohol license, $1,000; business license, $270,000; building permits, $1,890; TVA funds, $10,000; financial institution excise tax $7,500; reimbursement park ranger, $43,435; reimbursement crossing guard, $4,400; auditorium fees, $15,000; rental income-old city hall, $15,000; fines, $266,541; correction fund, $23,038; library income, $2,000; franchise fees, $1,000; drug task revenue, $15,000; technology revenue, $8,000; cemetery fees, $2,000; fire and rescue recovery fees, $144,000; fire safer grant, $53,000; rescue income/donations, $10,000; support from 1 mill tax/rescue $4,500; miscellaneous income, $15,000; state motor tax, $1,167; petroleum fees, $3,262; 7-cent gasoline tax, $20,047; 4-cent gasoline tax, $11,637; 5-cent gasoline tax, $5,727; 6-cent motor tax, $875; water sales, $550,000; sewer sales, $100,000; penalties, $30,000; water tap fees, $1,000; cut on fees, $3,500; charge on return checks, $100; miscellaneous income, $1,900; garbage collection fees, $250,000.

•Expenditures for Fiscal Year 2013-2014 include: general, $1,238,837; police, $695,100; court, $289,580; garbage department, $211,841; park expenses, $69,360; fire and rescue, $161,123; street expenses, $185,280; water and sewer, $528,176.

Jemison Mayor Eddie Reed said he was proud of the council’s hard work on the budget this year in being good stewards of managing the money for the city.

Reed also told the council that Standard and Poor’s did a study of Jemison’s finances and rated the city with an “A” credit rating.

“It was awesome to hear that,” Reed said. “I am proud of the fact that we can pass a balanced budget with a small surplus. We are glad to get to this point.”

The council said they would come back in four months to look at the budget and see how they were doing with the money.

The budget passed unanimously.

In other news, the council:

•Voted to pay a remaining balance of $2,000 to the Chilton County Commission for the paving of Jim Powell Road.

•Approved Irma Sushi Castro as a part time court translator at a rate of $200 per month as required by law.

•Approved Jemison Police Chief Shane Fulmer to appoint Paul Tierney to the Jemison Police Department’s Reserve Program.

•Approved a $200 pay increase for Barbara Nix who works as a crossing guard at the southern end of Jemison High School. The council heard from Fulmer who told the council that Nix works twice a day as opposed to the other two crossing guards who only work once a day. Fulmer said Nix has worked in her position since at least 2004 and has never received a pay increase. The council unanimously voted to give Nix a $200 increase each month.

•Voted to enter into a contract with the Chilton County YMCA of $200 per month for one year for the use of the rescue building during the daytime hours.

The council originally voted on Aug. 19 to allow the Chilton County YMCA to lease the rescue building from the city for an after-school program.