Peabody council reviews annual budget
Peabody City Council spent a considerable amount of time Monday night reviewing budget changes brought before them by city administrator Jeff Benbrook.
At an earlier meeting the council had charged Benbrook with trimming $160,000 from the proposed 2005 budget. Benbrook's presentation to council members Monday night included budgeted expense reductions totaling $210,000.
According to Benbrook the city will have enough in enterprise funds (water, sewer, and trash income) to make capital improvements. Council members approved a plan to allocate funds on a monthly basis depending on department need, rather than one large year-end transfer to cover expected expenses.
"Hopefully, this will allow the council to see what capital improvements the funds actually go for," said Benbrook. "Future councils won't have to start from scratch when they create a budget. They will know what's in the line items."
Council members also reviewed the city's sidewalk ordinance. A complaint had been lodged regarding a citizen removing a brick sidewalk and using the bricks for a private patio. There was discussion of other properties where bricks had been removed and no sidewalk was installed. It is the responsibility of the property owner to maintain an existing sidewalk or replace it if it is removed.
Benbrook was instructed to send letters to property owners who have removed sidewalks and not replaced them, asking what the city can expect in the way of a time frame for relaying bricks or replacing them with concrete slabs.
Benbrook also will address the situation in the newsletter that goes out with monthly water bills.
The council also:
— approved inviting Warren Slocombe, head of Fourth Fire District to attend the city's retreat Tuesday at Burns Community Building.
— read a letter from Jean Smith with complaints about county roads leading south and west out of Peabody. Council instructed Benbrook to send a letter to Marion County Commission asking for better maintenance on those roads now that they are accommodating more car and truck traffic due to people avoiding U.S.-50.
— approved efforts by Steve Smith to clean up his property at 310 North Walnut. They admonished Smith to remain aware of weeds and rubbish around his property as well as the height of his lawn.
— agreed to work with Gary Hilliard to advance a plan for removing an abandoned trailer from his property. Hilliard had made arrangements this past fall to have the trailer removed, but the transaction never was completed. Council member Jon Gard will work with the parties involved.
— set resolution hearings for Aug. 30 for nuisance properties at 411 N. Maple and 302 N. Elm.
— agreed to contact health and safety officer Deb Buser about complaints involving other properties and check on the status of the police department's monitoring of untitled and inoperable vehicles.
— instructed Benbrook to contact Nancy Hubble of Inland Paving to get a date for scheduled resurfacing of Peabody streets. Members also agreed to have a city employee fill potholes on streets not being paved this summer.
— voted against issuing an early payroll check for a city employee.
— approved a public thank you ad from the city to everyone who helped make July Fourth a success.
