Alexander’s amended budget good until February

The Alexander City Council approved amending the 2017 budget based on financial numbers available up to the end of November. The amended budget also includes any purchases approved by the council since the last time the budget was amended.

The budget resolution provides for the amended 2017 budget to be in “effect until February 19, 2018.” This allows the city to have a budget that can be used during the first month of 2018.

By law, a new budget must be approved by February 1 each year. Mayor Paul Mitchell said since the January meeting is always the fourth Monday of the month, due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday falling on the regular meeting night, that provides enough time for the end-of-the-year financial statements to come in and finalize a new budget.

City bookkeeper JoAn Churchill told council members the main number they need to know is how much is left in the checking accounts on December 31 so it can be carried over in the 2018 budget. She also said the new one-cent sales tax, approved by voters in November, will be included in the new budget. That tax is expected to be added to local sales beginning April 1.

During the announcement portion of the Dec. 18 meeting;

Mayor Paul Mitchell announced the individual “Tagging” (spray painting) property along Brookwood Road was arrested by the Alexander Police Department. According to the Saline County Sheriff’s Department website Michael Palacios has been charged with five counts of “Criminal Mischief in the First Degree” greater than $500.00, a Misdemeanor. He was booked December 16 and released December 18. Bond was set at $50,000.

Mitchell reported the gazebo for the park has arrived. As soon as the weather lifts the concrete pad will be poured and the gazebo will be assembled.

Beginning sometime in January, 2018 street lights will be mounted on 36 existing power poles in South Alexander. Mitchell said additional poles where lights can be mounted will be identified so the process can continue until the only areas left need poles. The city must bear the cost where poles or transformers are needed. Mitchell added lights will also be installed in the city park and along the trail.

The process of deeding the Human Development Center to Alexander is still ongoing. Mitchell says he was told additional state agencies are required to sign-off on giving up the property than originally expected.

Mitchell announced the street department has purchased a used street sweeper through the Federal Government’s used equipment buying program. The purchase price was $4,000 plus $2,500 to transport it cross-country to Alexander. He said the sweeper, which was used to clean runways at an airport, was valued at $200,000 new and only had 8,000 miles. Mitchell said last year the city rented a street sweeper to remove numerous pine needles so drivers can see the edge of the streets. He said not having to rent will pay for the sweeper.

The two furnaces in the front portion of city hall had to be replaced. Mitchell said they had a manufacture date of 1978, which would have been about the time the building was built for the post office. The heat exchanger had been eaten away in one and the other would eventually light shooting out flame. The cost for two Trane furnaces was $4,400, which included building a new connector box for the bottom of one of the furnaces.

Finally, Mitchell announced he will be running for mayor in 2018. The position of mayor is a four-year term while council members have a two-year term. The positions of treasurer and recorder are also four-year terms but those elections are held halfway through the mayor’s term.

Due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday is on the third Monday of January, the next regular meeting of the Alexander City Council is Monday, January 22. Meetings start at 6 PM and are held in the courtroom at the City of Alexander City Hall. The public is invited to attend.