The Webster Progress-Times

A public hearing on the city of Eupora's 2003-04 budget and tax millage is next week.

The hearing begins at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall before the Board of Aldermen's regular monthly meeting. Also preceding the regular meeting will be another public hearing, set for 6:55 p.m., regarding a USDA grant application of $15,000 for a police car. The September meeting will not be the first Monday as usual because of Labor Day.

Aldermen reviewed the proposed budget during a budget/tax millage work session at a special called meeting on Aug. 21. The budget does not call for a tax increase and includes a maximum 3 percent pay increase for city workers.

Mayor Pete Fortner said during the discussion, "Our expenses are going up and revenue is coming down."

The proposed budget reflects an expected increase in electricity costs as a result of a proposed rate adjustment by the Tennessee Valley Authority effective Oct. 1, which is the start of the new fiscal year. On the revenue side, City Clerk Lesa Hardin said she has budgeted $25,000 less in sales tax collections. Sales tax figures show that the city took in $13,000 less for the first six months of 2003 than during the same period last year. May's sales tax collections were down a full $10,000 from May 2002.

Alderman Dan Burchfield of Ward 2 offered a motion during the work session to go into executive session to discuss individual personnel payroll issues, which the board voted to do. It took no related action after coming back into open session.

The board, during its regular meeting next week, is expected to set a date for a recessed meeting to adopt the budget and fix the tax levy, which must be done by Sept. 15.

Other agenda items scheduled for Tuesday include proposals to change certain fees charged by the city. One would set a standard $20 fee for water cutoffs. The fee is now $15 for the first time and $25 after that if in the city limits, and $20 if the first time and $30 after that if not in the city limits, according to the agenda. Another proposal calls for an increase in building permit fees from $3 to $5 residential and $10 commercial.

Also on the agenda are:

Greg Medders of 114 S. Allen St. concerning sewer lines;

building permits for Akins Construction of Starkville, which is constructing houses in Churchill through the HOME program;

consideration of bids to clean and paint the water tank at Walthall;

a request by Doff and Mary Dell Hubbard to designate the alley between AmSouth Bank and their home to one way running south to north;

adoption of a Depot use policy;

the Little Black Creek bank stabilization project. Fortner previously said that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had demanded that the city pay more toward the project than previously agreed upon because of cost overruns by the contractor. City Attorney Jacqueline G. Smith has been researching the matter.

Last week's special meeting included the awarding of 2003-04 janitorial services to Johnson Janitorial based on it being the lowest bid submitted. The matter had been tabled from a previous meeting pending presentation of proof of required liability insurance by the three bidders. Aldermen also accepted a rural fire agreement with Choctaw County.

Alderman Dean Jones of Ward 1 was unable to attend because he was leading a revival.