PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – City Council ended 2006 by approving the municipal budget to the tune of $11,536,200 during the second hearing on the matter at Council’s Dec. 18 session.
Discussion was limited, with little fanfare or public input on the matter.
“It was a very smooth (budget) review this past fall and early winter. The Council was supportive of the overall budget. We saw very little public comment,” said City Manager Tom Stevens.
In the end, Stevens said the final budget, “did meet the new criteria of staying within the property tax levy cap as set by LD1. The final item ended up being estimated with increased costs in elections.”
Over all, the budget was up approximately $50,000 – a figure that had to be taken from other areas to follow LD1 guidelines. Growth within the property valuation formula helped offset figures to some degree.
“We had to do some trimming but fortunately we had wiggle room in some areas,” said Stevens.
Last year, the city saw increased stress on the budget, with rising fuel costs. So far this year, temperatures have been kind to the city’s budget, keeping demand and fuel prices down a bit compared to last year.
“We weren’t expecting such an increase as we saw last year in the cost of fuels – heating, gasoline and such. We took that into consideration this year when putting the budget together,” said Stevens.
Other matters discussed at the Dec. 18 Council meeting included:
• Approval of the Five-Year Capital Plan Program;
• Five-Year Department Fee Schedules;
• Interviewed candidates for various board openings;
• Reviewed city manager’s goals for 2007;
• approved Consent Agenda items for Council meeting on Dec. 4;
• Approved funding for Presque Isle Fire Department grant for wellness activity, including wellness equipment, fitness tests and medical evaluations; and
• Approved city manager’s report which included an update on pending Code Enforcement legal actions on two city properties, one on Chapman Road and the other on Harris Street. The owner of the Chapman Road property – which was heavily damaged by fire a few years ago – reached a monthly payment agreement with the city. With regard to the Harris Street property, the city is looking to determine if the owner owns other property within the city that could have a lien placed against it to eventually recoup legal fees and costs involved in the removal of a Harris Street home.
