Eupora aldermen, although expressing reluctance to do so, have cut economic development funding in the new city budget by the same amount as the county.
Their action came at a special called meeting Monday when the 2004-05 city budget was adopted. Hank Flowers (Ward 4), after discussion of the matter, made a motion to adopt the budget with funding of $15,000 for the Webster County Development Council Robert Mays (Ward 1) seconded the motion, which passed 5-0
Webster County's budget adopted by the Board of Supervisors on Sept. 3 also funds the WCDC at $15,000. The city and county each have been granting the organization $40,000 annually since its inception two years ago. The supervisors cited a budget crunch as their reason for cutting the WCDC funding, Executive Director Steve Anderson told aldermen last week.
Both budgets had to be adopted by Wednesday for the coming fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. Proposed economic development funding, if any, from Mantee, Mathiston and Walthall for the next fiscal year could not be confirmed as of press time. The council also receives some funding from business and individual membership fees.
Eupora Mayor Pete Fortner, at the city board's regular monthly meeting on Sept. 7, said he did not think the city should put more money into the WCDC than the county does. He cited as his reasoning the fact that the city has fewer votes on the WCDC board of directors than the county has and therefore should not contribute more money than it does. Aldermen set the 2004 tax millage that night but tabled budget adoption until Monday.
Alderman At-large Mike Hillhouse presided Monday as mayor pro tempore in the absence of Fortner, who was in Biloxi at an electric cooperative meeting. Hillhouse told fellow board members that Fortner's recommendation stood to adjust the general government expenditures line item for economic development by reducing it to $15,000.
Under WCDC bylaws, which were adopted in January 2002 as presented by the previous Board of Supervisors, the 19-member Economic Development Board includes 10 county representatives: the five supervisors plus one person appointed by each of them from his district. The city of Eupora has three representatives: the mayor plus two aldermen. Fortner is president of the WCDC Board, and Dan Buchfield (Ward 2) and Flowers are the other two city representatives. Fortner said he thought the city and county should have only three representatives each on the WCDC Board.
Said Flowers, "If we're going to be equal participants, we should give equal money dollarwise."
Anderson told aldermen during their latest meetings that he would like to see the city continue its funding at the current level with representation on the WCDC Board satisfactory to the city.
Burchfield, at last week's meeting, said, "If the county has seen fit to slash funding from the agreed-upon $40,000 contribution to a $15,000 contribution ... there's no way that WCDC can continue to operate. I think our colleagues in Walthall are being shortsighted."
However, he also said Monday, "There's more than enough money in the bank for the WCDC to exist another year as is. It'll be up to the WCDC Board to decide what happens."
During discussion before Monday's vote was taken, Flowers said, "Without question, it'll be seen by those who can help us (such as the Mississippi Development Authority and Appalachian Regional Commission) as a step back."
In making his motion on the basis of the mayor's recommended funding level for the WCDC, Flowers said doing so "breaks my heart." He also said his motion was based upon possible future amendment of the budget to increase the city's financial support, which Burchfield said could be done "if we find something workable."
Anderson said the budget cuts would kill the planned Main Street program because the Mississippi Main Street Association requires participants to employ at least a part-time project manager. Hillhouse said it was his understanding that the Development Council would be unable to have anyone in the office full time with the total budget cut of $50,000 by the city and county.
A financial report distributed by WCDC Secretary-Treasurer Belinda Stewart at the quarterly board of directors meeting in January shows that the organization's proposed expenses for 2004 were $113,576, including the director's salary of $49,875. Total actual expenses in 2003 were $81,274. The beginning bank balance at the beginning of this calendar year was $89,862.
The new city budget lists total budgeted revenue and expenditures from all funds of $2.1 million each, down from $2.5 million last year. This includes water and sewer. The Board of Aldermen set the supporting tax levy last week at 21.53 mills, the same as the current rate.
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