May 08, 2008 11:28 pm
—
By Susan Redden
sredden@joplinglobe.com
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Though complimentary of changes made in the past year at the Carthage Humane Society, members of the Carthage City Council’s budget committee on Thursday night did not endorse a request to double city funding to the organization.
The society requested $40,000 from next fiscal year’s city budget, up $20,000 from the current year’s allocation. Committee members endorsed boosting the amount to $25,000 and said they would be willing to look at changes in the city contract with the shelter as a way to reduce shelter costs for caring for animals taken there by the city.
Committee members also made additional changes in capital-project spending and looked at the impact of a new salary plan for the budget that goes into effect July 1.
The Humane Society was required to make changes in financial accounting, reporting and leadership last year as part of a settlement agreement after an investigation by the Missouri attorney general’s office. Kaylene Cole, who became board president during the investigation, said past bookkeeping problems are being addressed. The shelter also is doing a better job at placing animals for adoption, she said.
She and Connie Shull, another director, presented statistics showing that the shelter within the past year accepted 3,427 animals, including 770 picked up by Carthage’s animal-control officer.
Bill Fortune, committee chairman, said it appeared that charges paid by Carthage were higher than for other entities. But Cole disagreed, saying the contract with the city requires the shelter to take all animals picked up by animal control, including those that may need veterinary services.
“Not long ago, we took an alligator from Carthage; it was really expensive,” she said.
“You’ve made positive changes, but I’m reluctant to look at a bigger increase until there is more of a track record,” Fortune said.
After cutting more than $2 million in capital projects in earlier meetings, the panel on Thursday night trimmed a few more projects and added back some spending. Among the cuts was a $418,000 allocation to upgrade a section of River Street, though $45,000 was added back for engineering the project.
Tom Short, city administrator, said it will cost the city about $110,000 to implement changes proposed in a salary and benefit study recently completed for the city. He said about $80,000 of that already is reflected in the budget in “step” increases under the former pay plan.
Committee members also endorsed plans for a cost-of-living increase for workers, with a 1 percent raise to come at the start of the budget year and another increase later.
Final budget action will come from the full council.
General fund
Before revisions that were endorsed Thursday night, the proposed budget estimated general-fund expenditures at more than $8.9 million and available revenues at nearly $9.1 million.
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.