Palmer council outlines budget

Frontiersman

PALMER — Talk isn’t cheap when you’re chatting about $8.2 million.

With 2008 approaching fast, Palmer City Council will begin discussing the city’s 2008 Fiscal Year Budget today at 4 p.m. during a special meeting held at Palmer City Hall.

“This is the first of many meetings to review the budget,” said Janette Bower, Palmer city clerk.

The council received a draft of the proposed budget from City Manager Bill Allen on Friday, Bower said. Although the council will address the budget today, it is only a precursor to what will happen in the coming weeks.

This meeting will serve as the first step for council members to voice any initial concerns with the proposed budget.

According to the 2008 proposed budget development schedule, an additional six meetings are scheduled to discuss the budget. Two regular meetings are also planned. The budget resolution should reach the city council agenda Nov. 27 and be adopted Dec. 11.

Dean Baugh, finance director for Palmer, said the proposed 2008 general fund budget total is $8,223,424 and surpasses last year’s budget by about $600,000, or 8.94 percent. Part of the increase can be explained by the city manager’s recommendation of adding new jobs.

“We have to plan on the worst-case scenario,” Baugh said.

Baugh said $53,200 of the budget is set aside for the Greater Palmer Chamber of Commerce, which is typical funding for the chamber.

Another $50,000 of the budget, if approved, would go toward economic development and marketing Palmer. The Palmer Museum would receive $40,000 and $29,000 is tentatively earmarked to create an official street and highway study.