Crunching the numbers

The proposed 2008-09 fiscal year operating budget for the Mayor/City Council will include a 10 percent increase in car allowance if approved by the Independence City Council in June.

City Manager Robert Heacock said Monday during a study session on the proposed budget that the present price of gasoline demanded Mayor Don Reimal and support staff who received vehicle allowance get the increase. The increase was part of a nearly $407,000 proposed budget for the mayor’s office.

“The City Council and mayor’s budget is pretty set,” Heacock said of a budget that is $7,000 less than last year’s. “There is a 10 percent (increase) across board for anyone receiving a car allowance. In this budget, anyone, including council members, that receives a car allowance, we recommend the 10 percent because of cost of fuel.”

In other budget-related news, City Clerk Bruce Lowrey said during his presentation the office has successfully implemented an electronic agenda preparation system that benefits both city officials and the public. The electronic system will move forward the city’s ability to save money associated with the paper and printing cost the agenda packets incur, Lowrey said.

“This could lead to an electronic, papers packet,” Lowrey said. “Citizens, council members or anyone, through this system, can look at everything on the agenda electronically and if they choose look at anything they want.”

Lowrey said the paperless agenda packet are readily available now and interactive as well.

“(The agendas) are now interactive,” Lowrey said. “Every item that is listed, if you click on it, it shows a link to every item involved. The cover letter, the ordinance, the explanation. Anything that applies to that is linked. It also provides a PDF button to load the entire document.”

The City Clerk’s office proposed budget for fiscal year 2008-09 was $455,200, up $25,000 from last fiscal year.

Other proposed departments’ budget heard Monday were: municipal court, $752,000 (a $5,000 decrease from last fiscal year); city manager’s office $1.065 million ($38,000 increase); finance, $1.9 million ($9,000 increase); human resources, $512,000 ($5,000 increase); technology services, $1.8 million ($20,000 increase); law department, $770,000 ($5,000 decrease); public works, $9.5 million ($486,000 increase).