City council adopts $3.29M budget

Financial figures for both the upcoming year and last year were significant topics during the Albany city council’s meeting on Monday, when a $3.29 million budget was adopted for fiscal year 2019-2020, and the audit was approved for 2017-2018.

City manager Billy Holson told council members that he had trimmed the $275,000 deficit discussed during a budget workshop to about $126,000.

“I cut some things I didn’t really want to cut, but at the same time, I didn’t feel like realistically we could get to it,” said Holson. “We just don’t have the manpower.”

The city manager also said that he expects the 2019-2020 year to end in the black, but donation and water revenue projections are conservative.

A capital outlay total of $752,000 covers all departments, although almost half of that – $350,000 – is for the airport, which will be covered by donations and grants.

Another big chunk is the $300,000 budgeted for street repair and improvement.

“That’s where the deficit is coming from, because we can’t recoup that like we can in some other areas,” said Holson.

The budget, with revenue totals of $3,166,260 and expenses totaling $3,292,210, was approved by unanimous vote.

The city’s 2019-2020 fiscal year begins April 1.

Holson reported that the city ended February “back in the black” by $61,000, and with an Economic Development reimbursement coming before the end of March, that number should improve even more.

Audit Report

CPA Cameron Gulley of Eastland presented the audit for the year that ended March 31, 2018, citing the staff for “rock solid” accounting and commending local residents for their support of city projects.

“You had about a half million in capital improvements during the year, most of that done with donated funds,” said Gulley, noting that a vehicle was paid for by a grant, the Visitor Center was re-roofed with insurance money, improvements were made at the airport with grant funds, and private donations paid for the cemetery pavilion, park improvements, and Aztec operations.

“This has to be one of the few communities in the state with that much support,” Gulley said.

No noncompliance issues or deficiencies were reported.

“Your general fund is in a good, healthy position,” said the auditor. “You’re not there yet, but not that many years in the future, you might think about paying your bonds off early.”

Interest on the water plant bond for the audited year was $161,216, he noted.

Reports from the audit appear on page 5A of this issue.

Other Business

•Holson said that a large hole on S. 2nd caused when a gas line was severed last week will be repaired as soon as possible.

•A resolution was approved to participate in the Atmos Cities Steering Committee, with a cost of five cents per capita, a little over $100.

•Extending hours at the city pool was tabled until a pool manager is hired and other information is available.