SPANISH FORT, Ala.—City officials on Monday approved a $6.5 million budget—10 percent less than what will go in reserves—for the ’08–09 fiscal year. The city has estimated expenditures to be $20 less than the budget, according to the city’s general operations budget.

About $1.9 million will be spent on the police department, $1.1 million on recreational principle and interest, $900,000 on capital projects, $632,000 for the Eastern Shore Centre’s bond, $486,000 on professional services, $473,000 for general and administration expenses, which include recreation, beautification, education, parks and utilities, according to the budget, available for free at City Hall.

The city budgeted $300,000 on capital improvements; $258,000 for personal services—administrative salaries, employee medical, retirement, FICA and worker’s compensation—$200,000 for the city’s building department; and $164,000 for street and drainage maintenance.  

The city’s restricted fund budget has an allowable revenue of about $100,000 with an estimated amount of expenditures set at $78,000 to include utility expenses, street and highway signs, street repair and maintenance and traffic signal equipment and maintenance, according to the documents.

The city will receive approximately $5.2 million for revenue taxes, which includes wine, beer, sales tax for auto and general, tobacco and ad valorem for auto and general. It will also receive about $664,000 on franchise fines and fees; $338,000 from license and permit fees; and $150,000 for other revenue, which includes the children’s park, mosquito control, and interest earned.   

In other business, a traffic light at the intersection of U.S. Highway 31 and Blakeley Way/Wayside Drive will soon be installed since the City Council Monday voted to authorize Mayor Joe Bonner to enter in an agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation for installation.

The council voted yes to award a $169,365.74 bid to John G. Walton Construction Company for the alignment of the streets for the traffic signal.

The council has said this is a dangerous intersection and needed a traffic signal.

In other news, the council unanimously decided to increase solid-waste collection by 38 cents per month, per household, with Advanced Disposal.

Advance Disposal’s landfill costs had increased $2 per ton with Baldwin County Solid Waste, Mayor Joe Bonner said in a letter from the county landfill. The increase will go into effect Jan. 1, 2009.

Also, the council made a unanimous decision not to accept maintenance on drainage  facilities in Wakefield between lots eight and nine within a 15-foot easement in unit four.

Randy Brooks, Wakefield Property Owners Association president, said his comments were supported by most, if not all, residents in the subdivision.

“The situation with the drainage issues in phase four of Wakefield is a direct result of the city’s failure to follow the course of subdivision regulation adopted in December 1994. “Last revised June 1999 regarding continuing maintence and design criteria.”

“The homeowners of Wakefield should not be forced to bear this additional cost due to the city’s oversight,” Brooks said.

The total cost of maintenance is $5,000; Wakefield’s POA wants $2,500 from the city.

Brooks said he is only looking for a one-time commitment.

“If you take any ownership of the problem, the problem then belongs to the city,” Councilwoman Wanda Finch said. “I just think there’s a lot of drainage problems in the city and this is private property, therefore, we need to be very careful.”

City officials would set a precedent if the resolution was approved.

The item will be brought up at a later time.