Complete budget notes
Here are my complete notes from the public hearing held Monday night regarding Shelby’s 2006-07 fiscal year budget. All of the information was not able to make into the print edition but should be a good a read for those interested in the budget process. Direct statements from individuals are in quotations. I tried to explain the context of the statements when necessary. If the person represented a group or holds an elected office, I tried to note that as well. Remember this raw content, there may be some abbreviations.
FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS NOW OR LATER. DON'T HESITATE TO CALL OR E-MAIL IF YOU HAVE A STORY IDEA OR QUESTION YOU NEED ANSWERED.
Opening statements from City Manager Rick Howell:
"It’s been an extremely difficult budget process. The city is struggling. Last year’s budget didn’t adequately solve the problem."
Comments from public:
Shelby resident John Durham: Opposed to firing of police officer and firefighter: "That’s protection to my family and community."
Durham posed the question of how much of a tax increase would cost to keep the firefighter and police officer positions that were cut in the budget.
Howell responded: "For those two positions it would be less than a penny on the tax rate."
Shelby resident Karen Rhyne: "Shelby’s violent crime is down 25 percent over the last two years. Why would you want to change that trend by taking away a police officer? We should be spending more money on retaining. I’d be willing to pay a penny more. We’re just getting to the point where were cutting crime."
Ron Schaeffer: Regarding Joel Shores proposal "It has the best balance between fiscal responsibility and public safety."
Andrew Hopper: (former council member -8 years) "I’d like to city rethink the proposed budget. I would encourage you not cut one job. We went through tougher times than this and we didn’t cut jobs. We cannot afford to go back."
Judy Hawkins (representing Safe Kids of Cleveland County): "If one child’s life is saved it’s worth the investment." The comment was regarding the fire department helping kidS with safety training.
Rick Schaffer (Assistant District Attorney) "As a prosecutor, we do have a crime problem here. It’s hard to go to the federal government for Weed and Seed money when the local government is cutting jobs in public safety."
Brenda Hawkins: Regarding employees production levels: "I’d go in and pay a water bill. There would be two girls working. One would be filing their nails and the other one would be talking on the phone."
Gary Staymate: "Our weed and seed program and Project Safe Neighborhoods needs these positions in the police department for what we are going to do to help these neighbors. We need to broaden our tax base. Now is not the time to become complacent. We need to find some way to hold on to our safety positions. We need to be talking about station four, not cutting jobs."
Roger Davis: "The manager brought you a budget and you slapped him in the face. The city of Shelby employees deserve to be paid for what they do. The time for change is now. If it’s a three-cent tax rate, so be it."
Pastor Jerry Webb: (Regarding park funding) "My community is already not being served and now were talking about cuts."
Chris Hanks: "On Gardner St. I here gunshots every night. I sit on my porch and see drug deals. What you have begun to do is working." (Last sentence on reducing crime)
City Council members comments before the vote:
Joel Shores: "This has been tough to me. The city is bad shape. We need economic development. If we don’t get sewer expanded, we are going to be in this same position year after year. That’s why I reluctantly agreed with a 12 percent sewer rate increase. If we don’t become proactive we are going to be in trouble (re: fighting gangs). Shores proposed taking money from general fund for police officer, fire fighter and fire marshal.
Dicky Amaya: "A lot of the problems we had last year are here this year. We’re on our knees praying that there be some viable growth in our city."
Mike Royster: "This is my sixth budget. Each year it gets harder and harder. As far as going to the general fund, you can only do that so many times. If he (city manager) says HE can make this plan work, I believe him. I don’t really see an easy way out that doesn’t effect someone in an adverse way. Like or don’t like it I don’t see an easy way out."
Bob Still: "We have seen increasing hard times. This city is a business and it’s not insolated from a slow economy."
Jeanette Patterson: Regarding spending: "If I run out of money at my house I have to do without something." Regarding her mother that lives in the city: "Even though she’s scared to death, I don’t think she can afford a tax increase"
Chris Mabry: "I have remained open-minded. We need to be fair to every citizen. I think our city is a victim of several uncontrollable factors." (textile loss).
Mayor Ted Alexander: "I have concerns about the level of service that we will be producing through these budgetary cuts. The risk management position has the ability to save our city money in the future." (training, preventing lawsuits)
HOW THEY VOTED:
Shores N
Amaya Y
Royster Y
Still Y
Patterson Y
Mabry Y
FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS NOW OR LATER. DON'T HESITATE TO CALL OR E-MAIL IF YOU HAVE A STORY IDEA OR QUESTION YOU NEED ANSWERED.
Opening statements from City Manager Rick Howell:
"It’s been an extremely difficult budget process. The city is struggling. Last year’s budget didn’t adequately solve the problem."
Comments from public:
Shelby resident John Durham: Opposed to firing of police officer and firefighter: "That’s protection to my family and community."
Durham posed the question of how much of a tax increase would cost to keep the firefighter and police officer positions that were cut in the budget.
Howell responded: "For those two positions it would be less than a penny on the tax rate."
Shelby resident Karen Rhyne: "Shelby’s violent crime is down 25 percent over the last two years. Why would you want to change that trend by taking away a police officer? We should be spending more money on retaining. I’d be willing to pay a penny more. We’re just getting to the point where were cutting crime."
Ron Schaeffer: Regarding Joel Shores proposal "It has the best balance between fiscal responsibility and public safety."
Andrew Hopper: (former council member -8 years) "I’d like to city rethink the proposed budget. I would encourage you not cut one job. We went through tougher times than this and we didn’t cut jobs. We cannot afford to go back."
Judy Hawkins (representing Safe Kids of Cleveland County): "If one child’s life is saved it’s worth the investment." The comment was regarding the fire department helping kidS with safety training.
Rick Schaffer (Assistant District Attorney) "As a prosecutor, we do have a crime problem here. It’s hard to go to the federal government for Weed and Seed money when the local government is cutting jobs in public safety."
Brenda Hawkins: Regarding employees production levels: "I’d go in and pay a water bill. There would be two girls working. One would be filing their nails and the other one would be talking on the phone."
Gary Staymate: "Our weed and seed program and Project Safe Neighborhoods needs these positions in the police department for what we are going to do to help these neighbors. We need to broaden our tax base. Now is not the time to become complacent. We need to find some way to hold on to our safety positions. We need to be talking about station four, not cutting jobs."
Roger Davis: "The manager brought you a budget and you slapped him in the face. The city of Shelby employees deserve to be paid for what they do. The time for change is now. If it’s a three-cent tax rate, so be it."
Pastor Jerry Webb: (Regarding park funding) "My community is already not being served and now were talking about cuts."
Chris Hanks: "On Gardner St. I here gunshots every night. I sit on my porch and see drug deals. What you have begun to do is working." (Last sentence on reducing crime)
City Council members comments before the vote:
Joel Shores: "This has been tough to me. The city is bad shape. We need economic development. If we don’t get sewer expanded, we are going to be in this same position year after year. That’s why I reluctantly agreed with a 12 percent sewer rate increase. If we don’t become proactive we are going to be in trouble (re: fighting gangs). Shores proposed taking money from general fund for police officer, fire fighter and fire marshal.
Dicky Amaya: "A lot of the problems we had last year are here this year. We’re on our knees praying that there be some viable growth in our city."
Mike Royster: "This is my sixth budget. Each year it gets harder and harder. As far as going to the general fund, you can only do that so many times. If he (city manager) says HE can make this plan work, I believe him. I don’t really see an easy way out that doesn’t effect someone in an adverse way. Like or don’t like it I don’t see an easy way out."
Bob Still: "We have seen increasing hard times. This city is a business and it’s not insolated from a slow economy."
Jeanette Patterson: Regarding spending: "If I run out of money at my house I have to do without something." Regarding her mother that lives in the city: "Even though she’s scared to death, I don’t think she can afford a tax increase"
Chris Mabry: "I have remained open-minded. We need to be fair to every citizen. I think our city is a victim of several uncontrollable factors." (textile loss).
Mayor Ted Alexander: "I have concerns about the level of service that we will be producing through these budgetary cuts. The risk management position has the ability to save our city money in the future." (training, preventing lawsuits)
HOW THEY VOTED:
Shores N
Amaya Y
Royster Y
Still Y
Patterson Y
Mabry Y
posted by Pete DeLea at
9:45 PM
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