By Alison James

alison.james@fct.wpengine.com

When municipal court clerk Rita King handed in her resignation a month ago, the City of Russellville was left short-handed. That situation was remedied Monday night with the council voting to appoint Lisa Freeman to the position.

Discussion arose among the council as to the advisability of hiring an additional part-time person. One part-time person is already employed in that role.

“We need to look at hiring another (person),” said Councilman Lanny Hubbard. “If something happens, we’re right back at page one again,” having an under-staffed office.

Also at Monday’s meeting, the council reviewed a claim submitted by Stacie Mosley, who attended the meeting with photographs illustrating the damage recently done to her car by a city street.

Grissom said this was only the second time this has happened in his time in office.

“It happens, when you’ve got a lot of roadwork going on,” Grissom said.

Mosley presented a police report of the incident as well as two estimates for repairs.

The council voted to accept the claim for repairs in the amount of $772.

The council met in special session Sept. 30 in light of the close of the fiscal year to approve the end-of-the-year bills and the annual budget.

Total revenue for the City of Russellville for the 2015-2016 fiscal year is projected at $8,914,505, an increase of a couple thousand dollars over last year, Grissom said.

Several expenses have also increased. The budget will cover a couple of additional employee salaries, an increase in health insurance costs and paying election costs.

“All in all, it’s a tight budget – it’s conservative,” Grissom said. “This budget is a tool – a management type-tool that needs to be passed now … This is the earliest that I can remember ever passing one. It’s been as late as January in the past. This was one of our goals we set: to pass it early.”

Grissom said one cost the city is preparing for is to begin to replace police cars in stages. Last year, the city spent a chunk of money repairing those cars – such that it’s more financially responsible, Grissom said, to begin replacing the fleet in stages.

Projected expenses will balance out at $8,914,505.

“That’s going to change – it won’t be exact,” Grissom said. “This is just an estimate, but it’s amazing how close you can hit it.”

Oct. 5, the council also:

– approved a surplus property ordinance

– approved MDA Resolution

– approved the Chamber of Commerce Contract

– voted in favor of extending of concrete box on Lawrence Street for $9,400

– approved the temporary promotion of Andy Devaney to Fire Fighter II

– accepted the resignation of Sue Gilliland from the Library Board

– accepted a request from the Russellville Hospital Relay for Life Team to waive the rental fee for the A.W. Todd Centre Dec. 12