Gleason Board Approves Pay Raise for City Employees; Anticipates 50th Annual Tater Town Special

BY DAVID FISHER
david@magicvalleypublishing.com

During Monday night’s Gleason City Board meeting, Mayor Charles Anderson reported that anticipated revenues for FY 2023-2024 amount to a little over $1 million. He stated by making cutbacks in expenditures, the budget will contain no property tax increases. “We can make that happen one more year,” Anderson said.
The budget includes the new certified property tax rate of $1.1649 per $100 of assessed value. This means, when the county tax rate, which amounts to $1.3702, is added to the municipal rate of $1.1649, the total tax rate amounts to $2.5351 per $100 of assessed value. This means a residential property in Gleason valued at $100,000 and assessed at $25,000 will cost the owner $633.77 in property taxes.
The budget allocates funding to provide city workers with a 3.0 percent pay raise.
It contains no large city-funded capital improvements; however, Anderson said grants may help the city procure the money needed for some projects. He stated the city is working on procuring a TDEC grant for electronic water meters and a major rehab on the sewer system.
The city is purchasing used police cars with Lease-O funds, but this is funded out of the 2023 budget.
According to Anderson, the city obtained a couple of large pieces of salvaged playground equipment that can be refurbished. During discussion, it was suggested the larger structure remain at Snider Park and the smaller piece of playground equipment be located at Huggins Park.
City Attorney Beau Pemberton informed the board the city’s new auditing firm of Alexander, Thompson and Arnold, is running behind schedule on completing an audit of the City of Gleason’s financial records and Pemberton will continue to contact them and stress the necessity for the audit to be completed in a timely manner.
In announcements, Anderson said, “Gleason will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Tater Town Special this year, and we want to make it the best one yet.”
He noted the Gleason Gazelles, which is a civic organization that helps sponsor the Tater Town Special, are hosting fundraising events to help cover expenditures associated with the celebration. The mayor stated there will be a dinner, costing $10 per plate, at Gleason’s First United Methodist Church’s Family Life Center on Saturday, July 29, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The event will include a silent auction and tip war. Tickets can be purchased from the Gleason Gazelles, Bank of Gleason, or Cozy Cottage Daycare.