Mansfield City Council looks ahead to budget hearings
The temporary budget for the city of Mansfield is looming.
Alomar Davenport, chairman of the city's finance committee, broached the topic at Tuesday's Mansfield City Council meeting.
"The temporary budget has pretty much been completed," he said.
Davenport added he expected Finance Director Linn Steward to present figures at council's Nov. 1 meeting. He proposed holding three budget hearings ahead of that meeting.
Davenport said he would like to meet with department heads starting Oct. 20 and two days the following week. He proposed holding the meetings at 4:30 p.m.
"I completely agree that we have to have these," Councilwoman Cheryl Meier said.
Bed tax revenue 17.5% more than expected
Tuesday's meeting did not last as long as usual. With Mayor Tim Theaker absent, council President David Falquette filled in as acting mayor, and Councilman Phil Scott served as council president.
The bed tax is 3%.
Of that extra money, half will go to the general fund. The remaining funding will be split evenly between Downtown Mansfield Inc. and Destination Mansfield-Richland County.
"That money comes from the hotels," Davenport said.
Last summer's three-day INKCarceration Music & Tattoo Festival attracted an estimated 75,000 visitors. It is becoming one of Mansfield's biggest events each year.
Council authorized entering a contract not to exceed $38,250 with DRM Productions Inc. for website redesign services, including countywide branding. The money will come from American Rescue Plan Act funding, non-department expenditures and other charges classification.
$92K for storage device approved
"When it comes to web design and marketing, it's an evolutionary process," IT Director James Weiner told council.
Weiner also addressed council about purchasing a storage device for the city's disaster recovery site at a cost not to exceed $92,044.47. Members approved the purchase, which will be covered by ARPA funding.
"We are anticipating three to five years of lifespan for this device," Weiner said.
Council members approved a couple of other significant purchases, including a new front mount snow blower and chassis for an amount not to exceed $786,151. The purchase will be through M-B Companies Inc. in Chilton, Wisconsin.
Council also purchased a 2022 Ford F-550 chassis 4x4 dump truck for the sewer repair department at a cost not to exceed $106,546. It is included in the budget.
In addition, a bill to adopt personnel positions, pay grades and salaries for some employees, to create positions in the certified building division and to change the title of a position in the community development division was pulled for administrative review.
Council had talked about the changes at two previous meetings, but Davenport and Councilwoman Stephanie Zader raised issues.
mcaudill@gannett.com
419-521-7219
Twitter: @MNJCaudill
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Temporary city budget called 'pretty much completed'
