By Susan Redden

sredden@joplinglobe.com

CARTHAGE, Mo. — A proposed city budget — after more than $2 million in cuts — will be the focus of a meeting at 6:30 p.m. today by the budget committee of the Carthage City Council.

The committee in earlier meetings made cuts mostly in capital projects. At today’s meeting, members will discuss “what needs to be done next before it’s sent to the full council,” said Tom Short, city administrator.

The committee started with a general-fund budget that estimated expenditures at $11.3 million and forecast available revenues at nearly $9.3 million.

Capital spending in the budget originally was estimated at more than $4.1 million, but about $2.2 million has been trimmed, Short said. The cuts include work to widen Baker Boulevard, improve Civil War Road, widen Hazel Avenue, widen Fairview Avenue, continue a drainage project near 13th Street and Centennial Avenue, and replace the roof at the police station. Also cut was funding for work on the Memorial Hall parking lot, and engineering for work on Oak Street and Garrison Avenue.

Proposed spending that has survived thus far includes allocations toward a Department of Conservation project to dredge Kellogg Lake, a traffic signal installation at Phelps Boulevard and Highway 571, improvements to West Fairview Avenue leading to the Highway 71 overpass, regional storm-water detention, and improvements to Airport Drive and River Street in conjunction with construction of a new Carthage High School.

Short said committee members also revised the budget to reduce overtime expenditures and to increase spending for fuel for city vehicles.

Short said the budget includes funding for workers who would receive a 2 percent “step increase” in the pay plan, but no cost-of-living raise for those who have topped out in the program. The city is waiting for recommendations on a new salary-and-benefit study that is under way.

Fiscal year

The proposed budget, after work by the budget committee, and review and revision by the council, will go into effect for the fiscal year starting July 1.