|
|
Mayor breaks tie for Harris 2004 budgetBy Danielle Strenke Despite a 14 percent decrease on the proposed 2004 levy, the Harris City Council split its votes on the 2004 budget for the city. Mayor Richard Hanson had to cast the tie-breaker vote to approve the budget 3-2 at the truth-in-taxation hearing Dec. 3. The approved budget includes a levy amount of $270,000, a decrease of $47,000 over the 2003 levy amount. The total budget approved is $408,312.80. A handful of residents attended the taxation hearing last Wednesday at city hall. Some voiced continued concerns over salaries paid to city employees. Former city maintenance employee Ken Holmstrom said the salary for full time maintenance worker Mike Kriz was confusing to calculate on the budget layout. ěIt would be simpler for taxpayers to see it broke down evenly,î he said. City staff informed the audience that Krizís salary is divided into different expenditure categories, because his duties are divides into different areas, including general maintenance, roads and sewer and water. Holmstrom said it looked as though Krizís salary would be over what was budgeted for 2003 by the end of this year. ěHis salary is $32,500 and thatís what he will make by the end of the year,î City Treasurer Cheri Vant said. She said it is confusing to have salaries divided into different expenditure categories, but the state auditorís office recommended that the city follow such a system. ěThis cityís been run just fine on the old math for 150 years, I donít know why we have to do it this way,î he said. Council member Dan Walton disagreed. ěThis city hasnít been run properly and you know it,î he said. ěThatís why we were in such a mess if you look a few years ago. ěThis is the best this city has been run because we have a staff that has experience in here and knows how to run a city, but we hear nothing but the same complaints.î At a budget workshop in November, the council debated whether city employees should receive raises in 2004. At the taxation meeting, Hanson asked whether the council members had made their decision. ěIíd say Mike [Kriz] deserves a raise for the work heís done, up to $35,000 and the clerk and treasurer should start at a 1 percent increase and revisit it in July,î council member Don Cardinal said. ěHarris canít afford it,î council member Kathy Olson said. She then made a motion to leave all salaries for city employees the same in 2004, but review the status of the budget in July to determine whether the city can give raises for the second half of the year. The motion failed 3-2, with council member Wayne Buisman joining Olson on the vote. Cardinal then made a motion identical to his original recommendation. That motion passed 3-2, with Cardinal, Walton and Mayor Hanson voting for 1 percent raises for clerk Kim Hugger and Vant, and a raise to $35,000 in 2004 for Kriz. Hanson then called for a motion to approve the 2004 budget. Olson and Buisman voted no and Cardinal and Walton yes. ©ECM Post Review |