BAY MINETTE — In a year that has seen new and different methods of keeping council members and residents informed about city business, the city of Bay Minette is making strides toward a more open and communicative partnership with its employees and citizens through its budget planning.

During the planning portion of the 2009-10 budget, Bay Minette Mayor Jamie Tillery delegated the responsibility of budget planning to each department head. The department heads then presented their respective budgets to the council during a special-called council meeting Monday night.

"I don't think they've ever done it like this," Tillery said. She said her reasoning for putting the responsibility on the individual department supervisors was because "who knows better what their department needs and why than those who run them."

Each supervisor was asked to submit a budget, including requirements and requests, capital expenditure requests and justification for those requests.

"I think having the department heads put together their own budgets and present them themselves will give insight into their needs and why they need them," Tillery said.

The marathon meeting began at 5 p.m. in the City Hall Conference Room, with each supervisor coming in one at a time to present their budget, explain their requests and answer questions from the council members.

The majority of questions focused on capital items, particularly what items were a dire need and which could be postponed until later in the fiscal year or even into next year.

With a projected $500,000 appropriated for capital expenditures, the council must decide what projects to fund out of $654,295 in requests.

"We need to prioritize and determine what has to be done now, what can wait until later in the year or what can be put off," said, asking each department head 'what is priority?'"

The two largest capital requests came from the police, fire and parks and grounds departments, with each requesting more than $100,000 in capital expenditures.

Police Chief Michael Rowland told the council he would need new police cars to outfit the five new officers that will be hired by the beginning of the fiscal year, but said he may have some options for the requested $130,000.

"The only capital item I have is police cars, which will be about $130,000, but I haven't presented that yet because I'm looking at some options," he said.

Fire Chief Phil Bryars admitted two of his requested items could wait at least until Spring, including the installment of a concrete area around the new training tower and a lawn mower, weed eater, edger and leaf blower.

"The area around the training tower right now is grass and dirt. With the City hosting the Alabama Fire College in May 2010 we need to go ahead and get this done," Bryars told the council. Because of the advance time given, Tillery said the $14,500 request could be postponed until March or April before a decision needed to be made.

He said the lawn care equipment was a mutual decision between him and Joseph Hall, parks and grounds supervisor.

"After discussions with J.J. Hall, we propose to purchase the equipment to mow the grass at Fort Beveridge fire station. The property includes six-plus acres. J.J.'s crew is limited on time mowing other areas in the city and we have time," Bryars said.

Hall said not only would it save costs in manpower but in fuel as well.

"The mower will stay at the fire department, so we won't have the expense of transporting and it's a smaller area so it won't have as much wear and tear on it. It should easily last 10 years or more," he said.

Because of the timing, the mayor again asked if that particular expense, estimated at $8,000, could be put off until spring, when it could be reviewed. Bryars agreed.

Capital items the fire chief said he could not do with out were fire-fighting hose, a network copy machine and yearly maintenance on the ladder truck, for a total request of $13,795.

The $5,000 ladder-truck maintenance is required by the National Fire Protection Association and Occupation Health and Safety Association and is not negotiable.

Bryars said the network copy machine is needed to replace a copier that has been malfunctioning. "This would be one central fax, copier, printer, etc. and will replace all desk top copiers at the fire station. Therefore our cost for print cartridges will go away," he said. Cost, $1,595.

Probably the most important, however, was the hose request.

"This is to purchase one and three-quarter and two and a half firefighting hose to replace hose purchased in 1984 and 1985," Bryars said. "This hose has reached its service life and is failing its  yearly test." Cost, $7,200.

Of the five capital requests made by Hall, he said three - estimated at $55,500, are priority.

"We need another out-front mower. Most mowers have to be pulled. These can drive along the sidewalks to cut the sidewalks, off the sidewalks like vacant lots and around signs," Hall said. "Once we obtain another out front mower, the two will travel by side walks to cut downtown, Douglasville, sidewalks and some city facilities.

"This is a $20,000 mower, but we're going to have to have that," he said.

He said another priority was the purchase of a larger tractor and cutting deck, at an estimated cost of $25,500.

"As of last year our cutting schedule consisted of two weeks being devoted to areas on outskirts of the city and two weeks cutting at the airport. With only two small tractors and only six-foot decks, the city stays behind in bush hogging," he said.

"The cutting of ditches, ditch hang-overs and slopes are constantly put off because present tractors cannot get close to ditches when wet, sides are grown up or the slope is too steep," he said. "With an upgrade of more horse power, four-wheel drive and a 10-foot bat wing mower these problems can be resolved."

Additionally, he said, the new mower would be able to cut a path the width of two bush hogs, reducing fuel costs and increasing efficiency.

Finally, he said the department was going to have to have a hydraulic offset rotary cutter at a cost of $10,500.

"We need these mowers and we need them bad," he said.

With two departments yet to present, the council agreed to adjourn and resume the presentations at the next council meeting, Sept. 21 at City Hall. Work session will be at 5 in the conference room and the meeting will begin at 6 in the chambers.