DAPHNE — City Council members at a special meeting Monday passed a motion to cut 9 percent from the operational budget for the 2008 fiscal year. City leaders voted 6-1; Councilwoman Cathy Barnette cast the lone dissenting vote.

The budget for the 2008 fiscal year is about $17 million, of which about $13 million is earmarked for personnel, according to Councilman Ron Scott.

Cutting the budget 9 percent across the board would reduce the operational budget by about $360,000, Scott said.

Any funds cut from the operational budget will go into the capital budget, which is about $700,000 for 2008, according to the city’s finance director, Kim Briley.

Council members looked at areas in question where funds could possibly be cut.

Councilman August Palumbo questioned the overtime allotment first. Overtime has $465,200 allotted for the 2008 year, according to Briley.

As of July 1, overtime for 2007 was $399,000. The budgeted amount was $323,000, Briley said. The majority of that amount is spent in public safety and Public Works, Briley said.

The city has a budget over $200,000 for contracting and consulting on projects and professional and part-time work, according to Barnette.

Barnette has suggested looking into hiring a city engineer and a computer technician.

As of Monday, $133,000 had been cut from the operational budget, which leaves about $230,000 to be cut, Briley said.

Another issue brought with the budget was the re-classification of jobs within the city’s pay scale, and a cost-of-living adjustment.

“This is the first year that finances are tight and we have a lot of employees who need to be paid better,” Barnette said.

If some jobs are re-classified, that could add an additional $150,000 to the budget, Barnette said.

The current budget does not reflect a COLA. Palumbo made a motion to amend the amount for the budget cut be increased to over $500,000 to reflect a COLA of 2.5 percent.

Council members Palumbo, Barnette and John Lake voted for the amendment.

Council members Bailey Yelding, Scott, Regina Landry and President Greg Burnam voted against the amendment, which did not pass.

Two ordinances will be on Monday’s City Council agenda. The first will reflect the 2008 budget with the proposed $360,000 in cuts. City Council can either adopt the ordinance for the new budget or the second ordinance, which will be to continue operating under the 2007 fiscal year budget until approved changes can be made to the new one.

In other business, Landry announced her resignation from the council. She said personal reasons influenced her decision. Her last day is Oct. 31.