Marked Tree Council approves 2013 budget

Marked Tree City Council members were sworn in Monday night. Pictured are, from left: City Clerk Pam Wright, Steve Craig, Shane Glenn, Cleo Johnson, Jr., Michael Scott, Mayor Wayne Nichols, and Jerry Jones.
(DT Photo/Corey Clairday)

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The budget is tight with $2,202,709 in expenditures and $181,682 in excess receipts.

"We cut everything we could possibly cut," City Clerk Pam Wright said. "This is about as low as I could get it."

Changes made at the budget meeting that the council approved include taking out 2 percent raises, lowering the mayor's salary to $12,000, doing mosquito spraying during work hours and on fewer days, increasing rent on the daycare facility from $150 to $350, and not paying city officials for special meetings.

In other business, the council:

* adopted an energy code ordinance recommended by the Municipal League. The code establishes rules and regulations for energy efficient standards that apply to new construction projects.

* approved a resolution in support of statutory amendments authorizing improvements in the information provided to local governments by the state concerning collections of local sales and use tax.

* approved $35,000 transfer from the Capitol Building Fund to the Industrial Fund for the railroad spur. Wright said the city has paid $169,000 to the contractor and still owes $94,000. "It's looking like our figure will be about on target," she said.