DAPHNE, Ala.—The Daphne City Council at Monday’s budget-based work session set community contributions for the 2010-2011 fiscal year at $41,500.

With the city in budget season, council members, Mayor Fred Small and City Finance Director Kim Briley discussed ways to trim expenses to be more in line with the projected revenue.

In 2008, contributions to local organizations were at just more than $201,500, and last year they were at $41,500. The council proposed to set the amount this fiscal year for $41,500, and any additional contributions must be brought before the council with action taken on a case-by-case basis.

Councilman Derek Boulware said he was against setting an amount.

‘I just don’t feel comfortable appropriating ‘x’ amount for community contributions when we don’t have a balanced budget,” he said.

One council member warned the council of the difficulty in turning an organization away.

“We’re going to have some requests, and there’s going to be organizations that a council member feels strongly about,” Councilman John Lake said. “If we have a number to work with, that helps us say, ‘No.’”

Last year, the council sent money to the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce, South Alabama Regional Planning Commission, the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance and the Fourth of July community event.

The general fund pays for bid awards and city projects, and it was set at just more than $19.8 million last year, City Finance Director Kim Briley said.

The council appropriated an additional $800,000 throughout the year on various projects, so the total amount of expenses from the general fund was at approximately $20.6 million.

The estimated revenue for 2011 is $20.2 million, according to Briley; the figure falls around $400,000 short of last year’s expenses. The council also is required by ordinance to take $500,000 from general revenue incurred throughout the year and place it into a reserve fund for capitol road projects.