Councilmen continue work on budget

By By Fredie Carmichael / staff writer
August 21, 2004
At least part of the changes Meridian city councilmen made to the city's proposed spending plan for the next fiscal year will remain in place, including a $750 across-the-board employee pay raise.
After a 11⁄2 hour work session Friday at City Hall, councilmen moved forward with plans to add officers to the police department, workers to the public works department and restrooms at Lakeview Golf Course.
But they cut the number of new officers and public works employees from five to three in each department.
Councilmen called the special meeting after Mayor John Robert Smith told them changes they made to the budget two weeks ago while the mayor was on vacation wouldn't work.
Smith was in town this week and attended Friday's work session.
Councilmen say they plan to give final approval in the next few weeks to the proposed $43.9 million spending plan for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.