Franklin County Times

RED BAY – At their meeting Monday night, the Red Bay council approved the 2013-2014 budget, which includes a projected surplus of $4,300, according to city clerk Linda Holcomb.

Holcomb said the city’s budget for the new fiscal year was right at $2.35 million.

Holcomb said the projected surplus was due in large part to the city’s increase in sales tax, which was up 8.6 percent during the 12-month period ending Sept. 30, 2013.

“That truly is a big jump in our sales tax revenue,” Holcomb said.

“Most of that is attributed to our citizens being committed to shop at home. We have some wonderful businesses in the city of Red Bay who provide great products and services, and our citizens support those businesses, which helps our city.”

Holcomb said the budget also included a four percent raise for permanent full-time employees who have been with the city for at least a year and have not received a raise in the past year.

“I am excited about this budget and the projected surplus Red Bay should have at the end of this fiscal year,” councilman Brad Bolton said.

“It has been great to see our sales tax increase over the months thanks to our citizens shopping at home, and now we’re seeing the results of all the support our citizens and our out-of-town neighbors and guests have given our city.

“Linda has done a tremendous job pulling all of this information together and creating an outstanding budget for the council and the city’s department heads to work with. She always does a great job and we appreciate the hard work and long hours she spent on this budget.”

Holcomb said the city ended the 2012-2013 fiscal year over budget by just a small amount.

“We won’t have the exact figures in until the end of the month, but we were short by a small margin due to some unexpected capital expenditures,” she said.

“One of those was a weather warning siren that was much needed as well as some other pieces of equipment that needed to be purchased.”

Holcomb said with the increase in sales tax revenue and the continued willingness of the city’s department heads, including new director of operations Mike Shewbart, to work within their own budgets, she expected the city to come out in the black next year.

“We appreciate the department heads working with us and the citizens for their support of the city,” Holcomb said.

“We hope that support will continue into this new year.”

In other business, the council addressed the following items:

• Approved a resolution officially appointing Mike Shewbart as the city’s director of operations. Shewbart is replacing Wayne Sims, who is retiring.

• Introduced and approved an ordinance changing the zoning of two land parcels from residential district to mobile home district.

• Introduced and approved an ordinance changing East 11^th Avenue from a two-way street to a one-way street with traffic to flow in an easterly direction, effective as soon as signs are in place.

• Introduced and approved a resolution to provide special needs accommodations for viewing the Red Bay Christmas parade.

• Rehired part-time employees for a one-year period with a termination date of Oct. 15, 2014, with a maximum work week of 19.75 hours each week to comply with new Alabama Retirement Systems standards.

• Approved education fund requests.

• Approved entering the Smithsonian Exhibit Project in the 2014 Municipal Quality of Life Awards sponsored by the Alabama League of Municipalities.