Hopkinsville’s Committee of the Whole spent the bulk of Thursday night analyzing the operational budget for the 2023-24 fiscal — with new Chief Financial Officer Melissa Clayton at the helm of those discussions.
While the committee unanimously approved the budget be forwarded to the next city council session, an amendment motion to raise the budget a shade above $196,000 failed 9-3.
Clayton described the budget amendment as something that would bolster agency assistance.
Wards Doug Wilcox, Natasha Sophia Francis and Jason Bell were the ones who voted in favor. Francis offered a comment after its failed passage.
The council, along with Mayor J.R. Knight, have had this budget in hand for at least two weeks — if not longer. And while Knight has already revealed the biggest details of the budget in his most recent public address, Clayton brought even more detail to it.
She called it a “back-to-the-basics” approach to government — taking care of “home and city employees.” It involves a cost-of-living appropriation of 6.5%, as well as a shift differential for public safety and Fort Campbell contractors who work second shift. And it adds key staffing positions, and increases in building maintenance, gas, oil and utilities.
More importantly, she said it includes a balanced budget.
And she said the revenue projections, as well as the employee raises, do come without an increase to taxpayers.
Several city-wide changes, she added, focus on every department. This includes a $150,000 increase in employee health care insurance, an expected $123,000 increase in department utilities, a $617,000 debt service increase due to new projects, a $15,000 vehicle maintenance increase for public safety, and a $26,000 increase for new city maintenance lawnmowers.
Clayton stated there’s also 10% increase on liability insurance for building, property and vehicles, and a $117,000 increase — up from $125,000 total last year — to ensure Summer Salute 2023 is a strong two-day party.
Other budget notes include a reduction in IT operational costs, because the department is working on clearing out old cell phone lines and similar items. Furthermore, travel and lodging will increase for the city council, up to $18,000. Split 12 ways, it will be $1,500 each, which Clayton said allows for more council training opportunity.
FULL MEETING:
