Bronaugh aldermen discuss budget

Mayor Sherry Brown called the regular meeting of Bronaugh’s Board of Aldermen Monday evening with all four aldermen present including the newly appointed Alderman Jim Gransbury who also serves as the city’s meter reader.

Along with Mayor Brown and Gransbury, those on hand included Alderman Nancy Pitts, board president; Rachel Jones, alderman; Keri Yount, alderman along with newly appointed City Clerk Rauni Brown, Treasurer Ann Loudermilk, Water Operator Derek Brown and Septic Operator Gary Loudermilk.

While most of the meeting focused on financial matters including a public hearing for the 2019 budget and a review of monthly and quarterly reports, the treasurer also distributed a breakdown of this year’s Fall Festival.

The council declined a citizen request to significantly lower the size of water and sewer deposits.

While oft reminding all present that “this is only a proposed budget,” Treasurer Loudermilk walked through each line of the six-page handout.

“Jim, since you’re new I’ll begin by pointing out the city operates with three funds, the government fund, which includes streets and the water and sewer funds which are pretty self- explanatory,” explained Loudermilk.

She told how she likes to estimate the income conservatively while estimating expenses on the high side “so at the end of the year I can say, ‘Hey, we’ve got more money than we thought we would,’ instead of having to tell you, ‘Hey, we’re broke,’” said the treasurer.

She further prefaced her review by describing how some funds are shaped by the large loans the city still has from its various sewer and water projects.

Loudermilk spoke of how the rules which come with government loans try to get the city to put money into a fund on a regular basis so that when repairs and eventual replacement are needed, the city itself has saved up much if not all of what will be needed.

The treasurer added, “But I can tell you this, come the day we need a new lift station, we’ll have to pray the government still gives out loans because that’s well, it’s way more than we can save for, on top of the other loans we’re paying on.”

While the income for the Government Fund totaled $11,910.70 in 2017 and will likely be $13.300 in 2018 the proposed budget raised this to $13,450.

Expenses were $42,025.30 in 2017 (the city’s new clear-well and aerator were installed) and projected to be $14,872 in 2018 while in 2019 she projected $13,450.

In that same fund but for streets, income was $14,069.57 in 2017, $13,850 in 2018 and pegged at $13,900 in 2019.

Expenses in 2017 came to $12,381.21 while this year they were $11,990.74 and $20,000 in 2019.

Said Mayor Brown, “Remember, we said we would use cold-patch and fill all the potholes but we also want to save up over a number of years so we can afford to properly repave a couple of the main streets.”

Moving on to the Water Fund, 2017 income amounted to $83,047.05 (higher than usual due to loan moneys) while this year it will likely total $52,860 with 2019 pegged at $54,500.

Expenses in this fund came to $113,212.53 (due to construction of clear-well and aerator) on 2017 while this year they are likely to total $47,837.57 while the 2019 budget line read $48,844.

Income for the Sewer Fund was $57,141.99 in 2017, $56,350 in 2018 and is currently being projected at $53,500 in 2019.

Expenses totaled $46,267.42 in 2017, $45,070.16 in 2018 while for 2019 it is tentatively being budgeted at $52,500.

The treasurer added, “Unlike the Water Fund, you have a bit more flexibility in that the equipment repair and replacement and the debt service repayment funds are fully funded on the sewer side which means you have access to more of that fund’s monthly income.”

Having recalled how, at times, it is difficult to get an alderman to make and second a motion on the budget, Brown looked at the four aldermen to her right and said, “If any of you so much as twitch, I will take that as a motion or second.”

Alderman Keri Yount motioned to approve the proposed budget and Alderman Rachel Jones providing the second with the motion adopted on a vote of 4-0.

After three quarters of the year, the Government Fund showed a net loss of $4,295.74 with the Water and Sewer Funds posting net gains for nine months of $2,458,86 and 9,000.73 respectively.

“Now the last sheet I’m handing you is just for courtesy; it’s an income and expense statement from this year’s Fall Festival,” said Loudermilk.

The report showed a net gain of $7,521.29 for the 2018 Fall Festival and the Bronaugh Community Club which oversees the festival having an Oct. 13 balance of $24,997.72.

“As you can see, Fall Festival did very very well and so the community club is talking about getting some new playground equipment,” said Loudermilk.

Water Operator Brown reported his continuing efforts to more finely manage the chlorine level in the water in order to minimize any odor or taste problems as well as control the amount being added.

“I’ve changed the set points so the tower kicks on twice a day instead of once a day so the water turns over in the clear-well more often,” said Brown. “Because of the size of our town we don’t use enough water so sometimes what’s in the clear-well stays there and that effects the smell and taste.”

He is maintaining the amount in the tower at 30,000 gallons in order to maintain pressure and be on hand in case of a fire emergency.

Septic Operator Gary Loudermilk reported on his management of the city’s lagoon and the zero level of ammonia which delights the state Department of Natural Resources.

In her report, Mayor Brown spoke of how she was helping her son read several meters on Oct 23 when three small dogs and two larger ones chased them with one biting Derek, breaking his skin; he has had three of the series of rabies shots.

A report was filed with the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office, a worker’s compensation claim has been filed, the owners have been identified and bills will be presented to them.

“My son stayed behind me so he was the one bit instead of me,” said Brown. “I think he still likes his mom.”