DAPHNE, Ala. — The City Council will discuss the budget for the 2010-2011 fiscal year tonight at 6:30 p.m. during the regularly scheduled work session in City Hall.

“They’re going to be mainly talking about the general fund,” said Kim Briley, city finance director. “That’s where most of our expenditures are.”

The general fund pays for bid awards and city projects. It was set at just more than $19.8 million last year.

There are still some expenditures and revenue from the last fiscal year that have not been counted, Briley said.

“We’re projecting the 2010 budget, revenue and expenditures to be very close,” she said.

The departments proposed how much they would need for the new fiscal year back in August, Briley said, and the city is debating how much will go to each department en route to building an overall budget total.

One way to cut back on spending, Mayor Fred Small said, is to decrease the number of budget amendments during the year.

“Unless it’s a dying need, I think it’s time to say ‘No,’” Small said at the Oct. 11 finance meeting. “We need to have less budget amendments.”

Small wants the council to budget a little higher in each area to prepare for emergencies, but if something comes to discussion and cannot fit in the budget, “oh well,” he said.

The council appropriated an additional $800,000 throughout the year on various projects.

Councilman Derek Boulware said he doesn’t think it’s possible not to have budget amendments.

“Appropriations almost can’t be avoided throughout the year,” Boulware said. “It’s an act of God. You can’t budget for that type of stuff.”

Boulware said he thinks the city should avoid taking money from the reserves as much as possible.

“We’re not being responsible to future councils and the future of this town,” he said.