By Chris Berendt

Staff Writer

The city of Clinton adopted a budget Tuesday that is $1 million lighter than the amended plan it operated under in the past year, but city officials assured the 2010-11 budget keeps service at the same level, while also holding the line on taxes amid declining revenue streams.

The 2010-11 budget, approved unanimously by the City Council at a special meeting Tuesday night, includes slightly increasing rates and fees for utilities, three eliminated positions and no pay hikes.

Discussion on the budget was non-existent Tuesday, with meetings and a public hearing having already been held leading up to its adoption.

“We have had hearings on this and meetings on this, but we wanted to wait and see what the General Assembly did,” said Mayor Lew Starling. “They have not taken any action (on the state budget), so help us.”

The city budget totals $12,677,115 for all city operations, capital improvements and debt service requirements, marking a decrease of about $1.06 million, or 7.7 percent, from the 2009-10 amended budget. The General Fund totals approximately $8.14 million, a slash of nearly 10 percent from the current year’s amended budget of $9.01 million.

The budget will keep the property tax rate at $0.41 per $100 valuation, while the rate in the downtown special tax district will hold at $0.20. The property rate is expected to bring in roughly $2.56 million in tax revenues in 2010-11 based on a collection rate of 95 percent. The tax base is estimated around $621 million.

The 2010-11 budget for the downtown special tax district is $51,430, nearly 17 percent more than the $44,095 budget for 2009-10, as of last month. The increase is due to expansion of the downtown tax district in February 2009. The funds will be used to provide additional services or special projects in the downtown area.

City staff is proposing to increase solid waste fees from $12.35 to $13. Base rates for water and sewer would each increase by 15 cents and consumption rates would both go up a hair. Base rates for water will increase from $11.85 to $12 per month and the consumption rate will rise slightly from $1.75 to $1.80 per 100 cubic feet. Similarly, proposed new rates for sewer would increase from $12.35 to $12.50 per 100 cubic feet and the consumption rate would rise a mere two cents to $1.75 per 100 cubic feet.

In recreation, the youth sports registration fee for non-city residents is set to climb from $25 to $30. A late registration fee of $5 would also be imposed under the proposed budget, a recommendation from the Recreation Advisory Board. City recreation officials said they are anticipating more people based on the county’s scaled-down rec program.

Additionally, the budget includes no new positions nor any merit or cost of living adjustment raises for the 2010-11 year. The city is suspended its 401(k) contribution — 2.25 percent of each employee’s salary — for the next fiscal year, which amounts to $72,000. Sworn law enforcement officers will be maintained at its current 5 percent rate as required by state statute.

Employee health insurance has been budgeted with a 5 percent increase.

A two-month hiring freeze will be in effect on any full-time position that is vacated during the 2010-11 fiscal year. The two-month freeze will allow staff to evaluate the need for the position and determine whether it should be filled or eliminated. Current employee evaluations will also be spread out over the year, instead of all at once in July and August.

Chris Berendt can be reached at 910-592-8137, ext. 121, or by email at sicrime@heartlandpublications.com.