DAPHNE, Ala. — The City Council moved closer to adopting the 2009 budget as it discussed adding a resolution on Monday’s business meeting agenda.

“I can’t see a reason why we don’t just vote this budget up,” Councilman Derek Boulware said.

“I do think Mr. Boulware is correct,” Councilman Ron Scott said. “This is a pretty bare-bones budget.”

City Finance Director Kim Briley agreed with Scott, noting that the budget has been stripped down to its bare necessities.

“We’ve cut everything we can without getting into services,” Briley said.

Mayor Fred Small reminded the council of the national economic woes and how the Great Recession has affected a town like Daphne.

“This is a lean year,” Small said. “Departments are looking at ways to cut their budgets.

“If they can run a lot leaner, then we’ll get through this,” Small said.

Boulware echoed Small’s sentiments on the state of the economy.

“We all know (about) the economy and what’s going on right now,” Boulware said. “I think we need to recognize what the essentials are.

“We don’t really know what’s going to happen. Let’s go ahead and pass the budget,” he said.

Councilwoman Cathy Barnette displayed her support for keeping the recycling program intact, responding to the suggestion that it may be altered or even disposed of.

“I feel very passionate that we need to keep the (recycling) program,” Barnette said. “It’s a service I think is completely valuable. I don’t want to see that go.”

“We are starting to do some extensive research on that,” Small replied. “The garbage (service) makes money. And I like the recycling.

“But the public needs to know what it costs us to recycle. We’re looking at $40,000 for garbage just to break even.

“Of course, garbage (service) makes money. Recycling loses money,” Small said.

Scott reminded the council that amendments can be made to the budget after it’s been adopted.

“Once we adopt it, we can certainly go back and amend it,” Scott said.

“We may be having to revise the budget,” Briley said.

Councilman Bailey Yelding brought up the fact that the council has debated taking on new expenses — like hiring a part-time curator for the Daphne Museum — without fulfilling promises to resolve past issues, such as installing new bathrooms in some of the city’s parks.

“We just keep passing over stuff,” Yelding said.

“I support you wholeheartedly,” Council President John Lake said. “I agree with you.

“We don’t need to hire a museum director. We need to put that money toward finding a volunteer coordinator. Perhaps someone will step up to the plate.

“If we haven’t got the money, we don’t need to spend it,” Lake said.

“We have a lot of resources out there … retirees and so forth,” Councilman August Palumbo said. “I agree with you. I think it’s a good concept.”

“Let’s go ahead and pass the budget,” Yelding said. “We can always go back and tweak it (if) necessary to run the city.”

In other business:

•Rob McElroy, general manager of Daphne Utilities, made a presentation to the council about a 19-acre property that Daphne Utilities would like to sell to the city.

“We no longer require this as a utility property,” McElroy said. “What we’re looking at doing is to sell this property to the city of Daphne.”

Daphne Utilities is seeking around $200,000 for the property, which includes 18 acres of wetlands.

“I’d like to see us do it,” Barnette said. “Nineteen acres preserved in an ecologically rich area is important.”

Councilman Greg Burnam had a different idea of how much the city should pay.

“I think Daphne Utilities should sell us this property for one dollar,” Burnam said.

“The city of Daphne has invested millions in Daphne Utilities over the years. I think it’s time the utility reciprocates,” he said.

Lake agreed with Burnam and went as far as suggesting Daphne Utilities give the property to the city as a gift.

“The utility board could grant this property as a dividend returned back to the citizens as a gift,” Lake said.

Palumbo also agreed with the idea of turning over the property for next to nothing.

“I would like the utility to explore that avenue,” Palumbo said.

Yelding reminded the council of other projects currently on the table.

“The city of Daphne has more priorities than buying 19 acres of wetland,” Yelding said.

The council discussed the idea of preserving the property as a park to be used by the citizens for various recreational activities.

“It could be filled. It could be developed,” Barnette said. “We need to preserve it for a lot of reasons.”

“I think it’s very valuable as a park,” Lake said.

•The mayor’s assistant, Jane Robbins, presented the Adopt-a-Park Initiative — a proposal to help keep the city parks clean — to the council.

The program, set to launch in January, includes three options for volunteer participation: helping pick up litter; contributing landscaping; and giving financial donations for repairs.

Megan Matrone, recreation programs coordinator for the Recreation Department, will create an advertising campaign including flyers to be distributed to local churches and organizations interested in participating.

For more information, contact Robbins at 621-9000.