ELBERTA, Ala. — It was an evening of cutbacks and backtracking at Tuesday night’s City Council Meeting. The council voted to rescind a previous resolution and scale back on many monetary issues.

The city’s new proposed budget, designed by Don Koontz Sr., follows a state suggestion. Calculated by taking the city’s anticipated revenue, the amount of outstanding bills is deducted from that number and then reduced by ten percent. The end number represents the amount allocated for the various departments.

“We’ve figured out the budget,” Koontz said. “The problem is going to be how do we distribute it evenly among the departments. We will do monthly expense studies and quarterly budget reviews. I think we are safe in what we’ve decided.”

With the anticipated income at $1,174,145 — a lower than usual number as a result of the loss of Wolf Bay Lodge, the town decided to make further cutbacks to offset the drop in income.

“Our outlook is gloomy, but we are by no means at the bottom of the barrel,” Mayor Marvin Williams said.

In an attempt to save money, the town voted to remove light bars from three police vehicles to be sold on ebay.

With a freeze on raises in place, and the Police Department cut back to five officers who, due to the town’s decision, must now provide their own personal vehicles instead of using city police vehicles to drive to and from their residences, a merit raise was proposed.

Each officer received a raise of $1 per hour in an effort to not only offset the costs of the change in vehicle policy but mostly due to their outstanding performance on the force.

In other Police news, Chief Gary Peaden presented the council with the department’s policy for the use of the tasers they purchased last month from the Loxley Police Department.

In this policy, all officers will be trained and certified to use the equipment which was purchased to give the officers another option before using any form of deadly force.

“The tasers are new to Elberta but not the the US,” Peaden said. “The tasers reduce the town’s liability. We have a unique situation in Elberta. Since we only have one officer out at a time, they may not be able to receive backup in a timely manner. The tasers offer the Officer additional safety. They also reduce the amount of times we have to put our hands on an offender, which can start a fight.”

Peaden assured the council and those in attendance that the tasers were safe.

“Many of you were concerned about people with pacemakers,” he said. “But the tasers are powered by a one-inch, nine-volt battery and they offer a maximum of three watts. Pacemakers are designed to accept electricity.”

Any officer’s misuse of the tasers will result in a review by the chief and could result in disciplinary action.

The Police Department saw further changes last night as a previous resolution and it’s amendment was rescinded. In August of 2008, the council voted to pull back the Police Jurisdiction to only the town’s incorporated area. Due, to legal matters the resolution has since been rescinded and may visited at a later time.

In other council news:

- The Mayor officially proclaimed Feb. 28, 2009 as Arbor Day in Elberta.

- Baldwin County E.M.C. presented the council with a check for $53,145.42.

- The town will consider hiring one public defender in an attempt to save $1,500 to $1,600.

- Don Koontz was appointed to the budget committee, Donna Woerner to personnel, Steve Kirkpatrick to public safety and Alma Doege to the tree committee.

- Public Works Supervisor Bob Broseus received a merit raise of $2 per hour.

-The Mardi Gras parade will be held Feb. 14. at 1 p.m. after kids in the park from 10 a.m. to noon.