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~~ be reduced from $33,550 to last years amount of $25,000 and other insurance raised from $2600 to $3600 because of combining the other budget. Councilman Worthen stated this was his opinion. Addition of $1000 to the $2000 advertised for equipment repairs. The addition of a vehicle at $8000 and other equipment at $3,000, hopefully for three workers we will need another vehicle. This brings the total for the Utility Budget to $209,250.00 (an increase of 62% on this one budget) and the total for the advertised Storm Water Budget down from $160, 770.00 to zero. Councilman Worthen stated this was his recommendations for the Utility Dept. Councilman Bryant asked about a building. Councilman Worthen said they would be using part of the building down below the street building. .. _. ~ Councilman Worthen presented the Fire Dept. budget. He told the council Les and he had discussed this budget to some extent. He believes Les's intentions are for the best public health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Mooresville. However, there is also the simple fact that this revenue is generated by property tax. As a council representative to the Fire Dept. Councilman Worthen said he had figured past history on salary increases and went thru the 100 numbers with those in mind. He also had gone thru Les's requests in the advertised budget and there were line items there for three additional firefighters and apart-time secretary. Knowing the constraints the council have, Councilman Worthen recommended that those positions be put an hold for this coming year. But he does believe that funding and staffing is an important part of their job as a board and in Line 114 (reserves and casuals) this year and last has been funded at $100,000 and Les has made good use of this amount by staffimg the department twenty-four hours a day. Councilman Worthen told the council to allow Les to staff the department more efficiently, his recommendation was to increase reserve and casual funding to $140,000. This recommendation would cut the 100 numbers by $62,856.00. In the 200 numbers, Office Supplies, going by purchase history and appropriation reports, could be cut to $4000 and computer supplies could be cut to $2500. In the 300 numbers, postage could be cut by $500, health insurance could be cut to last years funding of $150,000 and other insurance cut to $27,500. Electricity could be cut to $4800, gas and heat cut to $4000, water could be cut by $600. Down in the 390 area, instruction & training could be cut to $10,000. In the 400 numbers, Line 421, Station #2, though Councilman Worthen would like to see something happen on this in the near future, because,of funding the $120,000 in his opinion could be removed from this budget. He went on to say that 451 and 452 (other equipment) in the past have been fortunate enough to purchase a new rescue squad and refurbish older equipment and pay far those projects out of the budget. He thinks ' this area could help plan for any unplanned equipment failures that might happen or structure problems that might occur with the existing building. He said he would like to see this $160,000 stay in the budget..However the clerk-treasurer will have a resolution to remove any 400 numbers that is necessary to keep the tax rate at a controlled level and he realizes that those numbers should and would be the first Lo go out of the budget. Councilman Warthen's recommendations for this budget would be lowering it $241,506.00 with a total. of $1,234,716, which is a net increase of 1.1 % over last year. Councilman Bryant said the only question he had was with Line 452, the $130,000 for other equipment, he said possibly this was a little excessive to have for potential problems. He said if there were to be a catastrophic need there would be other avenues far emn the mono . He said he wasn't o used to kee in some mane in g~ g y pP P g y there, but he thought $130,000 was too much. He said he thought if $30,000 was left in there which would give a total of $60,000 fox other equipment. Councilman Bryant asked Les if this would be a reasonable amount of money. Les replied, actually if this $160,000 was taken out he would be in a position where he could very well run out of money next year. Les commented if this amount was taken ont of his budget it would be below what it is for 2003. He said they have bypassed purchasing items this year because of the situation with reassessment and not yet receiving tax dollars. Les said he had a list of items up in his office that he would like to get caught up on as soon as money becomes available to them and kind of get back on track with keeping things at the level they should be and he feels that the majority of the $130,000 in the end needs to be there to help with some of that. He believes he has a place to spend the majority of the $160,000.00. He said he had a couple pieces of equipment that has some age on them and on top of that they have gone from 700 runs a year up to 1100 runs this year. Les said he really thinks that the amount Councilman Worthen is proposing is about the minimum they could go. Councilman Bryant said if the Fire Department had areas and things they need to replace and earmark that money, that was f ne.