Gleason City Board Approves Second Reading Of FY 2020-2021 Budget

BY DAVID FISHER

david@dresdenenterprise.com

GLEASON (June 18) — The Gleason City Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved the second and final reading of an ordinance establishing the town’s budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2020 and ending June 30, 2021, during a called meeting on Thursday, June 18.

The ordinance adopting the town’s annual operating and capital budget and tax rate for FY 2020-2021, was approved 3-0 with Mayor Diane Poole, Alderman Jim Phelps and Alderman Jerry Dunn, Jr. voting in favor of the ordinance. Aldermen Doug Johnson and Keith Radford were absent. However, during the board’s June 11 meeting, the budget approved on first reading 4-1 with Alderman Keith Radford casting the only “no” vote.

The budget ordinance sets the tax rate at $1.6638 per $100 of assessed value, which is unchanged from the previous year.

Projected revenues and expenditures are as follows:

General Fund: revenues = $1,308,680; expenditures = $973,546

State Street Aid Fund: revenues = $99,000; expenditures = $49,500

Drug Fund: revenues = $19,500; expenditures = $4,500

Water Fund: revenues = $1,044,229; expenditures = $7,945

Solid Waste: revenues = $235,135; expenditures = $147,000

An ordinance amending the budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020 was unanimously approved on second reading. Appropriations for these funds are as follows:

The General Fund budget appropriation, previously set at $1,054,301, is decreased to $902,841.

The Water and Sewer Fund budget appropriation, previously set at $768,390 is decreased to $380,828.

The Drug Fund appropriation, previously set at $2,000 is increased to $7,945

The Solid Waste budget appropriation, previously set at $144,000, is increased to $146,094.

The State Street budget appropriation, previously set at $42,500 is increased to $45,500.

The above-cited amendments are deemed necessary to meet unexpected expenses in the General Fund, Water and Sewer Fund, Drug Fund, State Street Fund and Solid Waste Fund.

The second reading of a property rights voting ordinance was approved by unanimous vote.

The ordinance notes Gleason’s town charter currently allows persons residing outside the corporate city limits of Gleason, who own real property inside the corporate limits of the town and meet other general legal requirements, to vote in city elections.

The property rights voting ordinance establishes absentee by mail ballot voting procedures for non-resident property owners in municipal elections, as allowed under legislation adopted by the Tennessee General Assembly and recommended by the Weakley County Election Commission.

One of the reasons cited for passage of the ordinance is to simplify voting procedures for property rights voters, and thereby increase and encourage voter participation in city elections.

The ordinance requires property rights voters to vote by mail only.

The Weakley County Election Commission will mail letters to property rights voters, explaining the process. There will be no cost to the city for this service.

In other business, the board appointed Rodney Garner as public works director.

Mayor Poole stated two part-time workers were hired to help mow and weed-eat city property, and the city is advertising to fill a full-time position on the public works department.

Alderman Phelps said some of the major items for Gleason’s dog park are ordered, including a pooch watering station, garbage cans and benches. He stated the fencing will have a sally-port to separate the large and smaller dogs as they enter the partitioned fenced-in area. Phelps suggested opening the dog park as soon as possible and hosting a grand opening at a later date.