Town Council — 2022-04-07

The Town Council held a FY2023 budget work session on April 7, 2022 to review department operating and capital budgets and to take citizen comment (Tim McCluskey spoke on the budget, permanent fund, and public utility tax). Council approved by consensus increases to employee uniform costs (Streets $5,850; Water/Wastewater $1,096.43) and asked that the Town Hall improvements project be rebid. By consensus the Council agreed to move forward with Public Works capital requests and amounts: Sewer Collection System Repairs $55,000; WTP Preliminary Engineering Report $50,000; Fire Hydrant Replacement $8,000; Tree Replacement – Farm $20,000; Pivot Wheel Track Closer $7,000; Disc Harrow 12-ft $14,000. The Council also agreed to remove the proposed Utility Worker position from the budget, directed Finance to correct Donations under Legislative Services and restore Contract Services under Planning & Zoning, and noted that these changes move the General Fund back into the positive while debt remains the largest budget driver. Council discussed waiting until mid-year to consider new positions amid uncertainty over wastewater treatment plant funding, asked for a future budget showing scenarios with and without one additional police officer, and agreed to revisit the Millstream Trail extension (estimate $138,000 for four timber bridges) at mid-year.