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decreased to $2A~,400.00(the anticipated increase dial not happen) and in other insurance
<br />$40,000 cut to $26,000. Electricity and gas were decreased due to the fact the increases
<br />in monthly bills will not be as much as had been anticipated. Electricity cut $15,000 and
<br />gas cut $5,000 which makes electricity at $75,000 and gas at $15;000. New downtown
<br />lighting will be added to the electricity, but the $75,000 should cover. Anew account
<br />was added for $50,000 for Morgan Co. EDC, which Councilman Mathis explained
<br />earlier. The election expense was $10,000 and was omitted because there is not a Town
<br />election next year. A discussion ensued about line item 395. The Clerk-Treasurer
<br />explained to the council the state auditors made t ,at line item be added because of
<br />purchasing flowers for funerals and Victorian Cl -istmas supplies; cookies, punch,
<br />napkins and cups. In the 400's line item 443, C~ ner Capital Improvements $150,000 cut
<br />to $100,000 and 450 Other Capital Outlays waM reduced to $100,000 and Office
<br />Machines reduced by half to $5000. Councilman Bryant said that brought the total of the
<br />Town Hall Budget to $727,400.00. Shirley Welker, from the audience, asked what the
<br />. $1 OQ,000 for Capital Improvements was going to be used for. Councilman Bryant said
<br />this money could be used for the Old Methodist Church, curbs, acquisition of property, in
<br />other words any capital improvement
<br />in the community..Mrs. Welker also asked what the $100,000 was going to be used for
<br />in the Other Capital Outlays. The Clerk-Treasurer explained Capital Improvements is for
<br />improvements made to Town property and Capital Outlays means to purchase. Mrs.
<br />Welker asked what was going to be purchased for $100,OD0. Attorney Tim Currens that
<br />this was not necessarily for one item, it was cumu'Iative throughout the year. Councilman
<br />Bryant said if there were properties that came up to invest in like last year when the Glass
<br />Company went up for sale, the council looked into buying the building for future
<br />expansion of Police Dept. or for use of the Town, that money would have been there to
<br />use for that purpose. Mrs. Welker asked about the budget for CCD being $707,354.00
<br />and what it could be used for, if it could be used to improve the church property or
<br />purchase property. The Clerk-Treasurer answered her saying the CCD could be used for
<br />those items and part of CCD was used to purchase the church. Councilman Mathis asked
<br />the Clerk-Treasurer if he was correct in saying that the $707,35.4 was not the amount of
<br />money that would be received. The Clerk-Treasurer said he was correct, that the
<br />$707,354 was the amount that could only be spent from that fund in 2004 which includes
<br />the balance in the fund currently. The Clerk-Treasurer told the council that
<br />approximately $119,000 and same odd dollars were still supposed to be collected far
<br />2003 and then in 2004 was supposed to collect approximately $174,116. Once the taxes
<br />far 2003 and 2004 come in the CCD will have a balance of $722,000.00. Mrs. Welker
<br />asked if there is that much money that can be used for the Methodist Church, etc, why is
<br />there $200,000 in the 2004 Town Hall budget, why isn't the money taken out of a fund
<br />that is already set aside. Mrs. Welker told the council they were asking the taxpayers to
<br />come up with more rnaney for something projected that the Town might want when there
<br />is already approximately $700,000 in a fund that could be used and asked what the
<br />$700,000 was going to be used for. Councilman Mathis said there are different
<br />situations, an example is equipment for Storm Water. Councilman Mathis said the tax
<br />rate for 2003 is .6246 and there is some other equipment we would like to buy, one is a
<br />$50,000 catch basin cleaner, this Storm Water Rule is new and we want to be prepared.
<br />Councilman Mathis went on to say that the tax commissioners told us not to look for
<br />100% tax collection this year but maybe at 75% tax collection. Based on these numbers,
<br />the $200,000 is protection, although this is something that the Town could lose. But if
<br />not, there is other property acquisition in the future and a couple of other equipment
<br />purchases that this money can be used for. Mrs. Welker asked i.f they could express to us
<br />what the other equipment is you say that you have $50,000 you would like to designate
<br />stormwater phases, yet you have $722,000. Councilman Mathis said the majority of this
<br />money could be used to finish the church(Administrative Hall) and they would like to be
<br />able to do this. Maybe they could use part of this money to pave parking lots. Mrs.
<br />Welker asked about the Food and Beverage Fund balance. The Clerk-Treasurer said ,
<br />there was approximately $900,000 in this fund. Mrs. Welker asked if this fund could be
<br />used on the church. Councilman Mathis said no. She asked what it could be used for.
<br />Councilman Mathis answered it could be used for Park, water, and sewer. Mrs. Welker
<br />asked if this could be used for the storm basins. Councilman Mathis answered he was not
<br />sure about that. Mrs. Welker said `yes' it could be used for the storm basins. She said
<br />that instead of strapping the taxpayers more and since there are millions of dollars setting
<br />in different funds. She said to add another $200,000 an the budget when there is all this
<br />other money available is a little too much. Mrs. Welker went on to say she had a very
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