Freeburg trustees adopt FY 23 budget

BY Linda Adkins, UD Staff Writer
Posted 3/16/22

Freeburg trustees at their regular meeting on Monday, March 7 adopted a budget for March 1, 2022 – Feb. 28, 2023, totaling $335,000. With a projected income of $240,000, $95,000 of the total …

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Freeburg trustees adopt FY 23 budget

Posted

Freeburg trustees at their regular meeting on Monday, March 7 adopted a budget for March 1, 2022 – Feb. 28, 2023, totaling $335,000. With a projected income of $240,000, $95,000 of the total will come from reserve and carryover monies.

Salaries will be increased for the board chairman and Water Clerk Cindy Struemph by $25 a month, bringing the chairman’s salary to $300 and the water clerk to $600. Increases will be considered later for new City Clerk Nicki Bax and Street/Water/Sewer Commissioner Doug Hamacher once their training periods have been completed. 

Last year’s administration costs were over budget by $236, with former Street/Water/Sewer Commissioner Todd Feeler doing some contract work for the city while his replacement gets up to speed. 

Another salary consideration is the fact that both current Village Clerk Allen Gradel and new Clerk Nicki Bax are receiving a salary from the village as she receives training from Gradel, who offered to cut his salary in half for next month as his responsibilities are phased out. 

The street budget of $230,000 includes the purchase of a new side-by-side, winch, and impact tools. Trustee Shane Zimmer asked what was wrong with the side-by-side. 

“It’s just getting old,” Mayor Darryl Haller responded, adding the village could sell it outright at a good price now. Hamacher approximated 5,000 hours on the vehicle.

Bax said they may not be able to get a new one for a year or more anyway, saying that Hilkemeyer’s told her they put in an order for 20 and maybe get five. 

Zimmer expressed his distaste for spending more than they take in. “I noticed we are always moving money to the street department,” he said. “Are we going to do that again?” 

“Probably, we always do,” Gradel replied. “In 29 years, we have never spent less than we took in.”

“So are you saying we need to do a balanced budget?” Mayor Haller asked Zimmer.

“No, but we need to work toward an end goal,” said Zimmer, suggesting pulling less out of savings each year as their streets get where they should be. 

Haller pointed out that they do not know what the price of asphalt will be this year. “We may want to skip a year,” he said. “We are thinking of pulling things out of the budget, has anyone considered making our income more? That’s what we need to be doing,” said Haller.

He suggested a sales tax increase be considered. “We’re making $240,000 and spending $230,000 on the streets,” Haller continued. “Do you want good streets or to pay a little less on taxes?”

Gradel suggested they take up the sales tax increase later and decide on the budget. 

Other budget amounts were set as follows: Administration $40,000; Street Department $230,000; Insurance $12,000; Street Lights $13,000; Trash Removal $29,000; Miscellaneous and Donations $3500; Furniture/Fixtures/Computer $2000; Animal Control $500; and Park $5000. 

Trustees unanimously approved the budget. 

In other business, trustees approved a request from Johnnie Fowler of Fortress Insurance in Jefferson City to be Freeburg’s servicing agent for insurance again. Fowler had served Freeburg as part of Naught-Naught Insurance for 38 years until his departure after the company was sold two years ago. The policy and cost will not change. 

* Bartlett & West representatives were on hand to deliver their qualifications for engineering services to address wastewater system improvements. Archer-Elgin was also in attendance and promised their packets for that purpose will be delivered by the end of the week. Other engineering services may submit their qualifications by March 25. 

* Trustees approved a resolution that will enable Mayor Haller to sign on behalf of the village to get the grant process started through DNR. Haller signed the paperwork to get things underway for the wastewater engineering grant. 

* In financial news, Bax presented figures showing general fund income for February totaling $19,218.33. The village has $15,375.58 in a general revenue checking account and $389,721.53 in a general revenue money market. Sewer system checking had a balance of $20,777.37 and the sewer money market amount was $246,393.12. Freeburg’s purchasing account balance is $657.13. The ARPA account holds $42,611.93. The total for all accounts besides water was $715,536.66. The water department had $644,975.61 on hand for a grand total of $1,360,512,27.

* Struemph reported a 5% water loss between Dec. 30 – Feb. 1, with 2,170,932 gallons produced and 1,807,800 gallons billed for a loss of 98,132 gallons. A leak on Old Vienna Road between Poettgen Bros. Garage and the Bank of Freeburg was responsible for the loss.

* General revenue bills were approved totaling $19,904.46; sewer bills totaled $594.94; ARPA expenses were $743.83. Water expenses of $6708.23 were approved. 

* The next meeting will be held on April 11 at 6:30 pm.