BAY MINETTE — Despite costs to the city and lower sales tax revenues, the City of Bay Minette remains in good financial condition, Mayor Jamie Tillery told council members during their monthly roundtable meeting Saturday.

Tillery introduced figures on the cost of overtime hours for City Fest, noting that the city paid $10,324.17 for 551.5 overtime hours.

"I looked at this and I was like 'whoa,'" the mayor said. "I was really surprised. I think anyone who looks at this would be surprised," she said.

"People just don't realize what it takes to make Christmas Fest a success," she said. Those overtime hours included 131.75 for police and 94 for fire, for a combined 40.93 percent.

"What people don't realize is that when those officers are there closing off streets for the parade or directing traffic and providing security on the square, they are extra officers pulled in for that specific event," Tillery said. "The officers assigned that shift still have to do their assigned duties, making rounds and answering calls."

Even more surprising was overtime for public works, which equalled 171.5 hours or 31.05 percent of all city overtime, more than police or fire.

"That was cleanup," Tillery explained. She said the city may take steps next year to try and reduce that, including the possibility of adding trash cans to event areas. "That's something we'll have to look at," she said.

Tillery said she brought the figures up simply for informational purposes, not as a discussion of whether City Fest is a worthwhile event.

"We'll keep doing this of course, but when people ask, 'where are our tax dollars going,' we can show them this," she said. "Breaking it down like this helps us see what's really going on."

Following a discussion on expenses, the council talked sales tax revenues and the financial state of the city.

For November of the 2007-2008 fiscal year, the city took in $365,960 in sales tax revenues, as compared to this year's $314,318.

Though the final December numbers are not in, the city is estimating a 2008-2009 revenue of $376,958, compared to last year's $353,663.

During the last 12 months, the revenue has appeared to be on a roller coaster ride, rising and falling several times, but Tillery said the numbers even out and are promising.

"After averaging everything, the city is operating at 93 percent which is really good," she said.

City Clerk Rita Findley said the council has been closely monitoring the revenues because of what is going on in cities surrounding Bay Minette.

"Other cities are laying people off, and they want to make sure that doesn't happen here," she said. Tillery and Findley said the figures are encouraging and residents should not be worried.