Albany City Council, meeting in regular session Tuesday, June 7 with all members present, dealt with several items of business, including approving first reading of the proposed 2011-12 fiscal year city budget. The meeting lasted about an hour and-a-half and included a brief closed session on personnel.

Prior to discussing the upcoming year’s $3.7 million budget, the council gave final approval to three ordinances, one pertaining to the current year’s budget.

The council, on a motion by James “Smitty” Smith, voted to amend the current 2010-11 year budget to include $875,248.69 in already spent state funds that were used throughout the year for various water and water line projects. Some of the projects included work on the storage tank at Duvall Valley and the water line along Hwy. 90.

On a motion by Councilman Frankie Stockton, they approved final reading of an ordinance of the changing personnel for authorized positions, which included deleting a position in the city street department.

Also, the council voted unanimously, on a motion by Tony Delk, to approve final reading on the water service and consent annexation.

This ordinance deals with any residence or business locating next to the bypass portion in the city limits to be annexed in order to be offered city water and sewer service as well as other city services. The measure is an attempt to help the city expand and grow along areas where the bypass will go through existing portions of the city limits.

Monarch Engineer Darrin Byron then presented the monthly progress report related to ongoing projects.

He first again assured a resident on Hwy. 90 where the water line from the industrial park to near the Wayne County line at Alpha, that his property would be restored back to its original condition after the work disrupted the resident’s yard and frontal property. The engineer and city council members noted that final payment to the contractor would not be made until all areas affected are taken care of to the city’s and engineering firm’s satisfaction.

Bryon also reported that the water line project was basically 100 percent complete as of last week.

Progress continues on the utility line relocation phases, as now the Department of Transportation is requesting that lines be relocated in both the second and third phases by this fall, as work on the bypass also continues to progress.

Phase II will begin near the radio station and go southward to around Hwy. 969 with the final phase picking up at that point on to the Tennessee state line area.

All rights-of-way have been purchased in the phase two area and all but three in the phase three area. Preliminary cost estimates and plans on both phases have been submitted to the transportation cabinet bid dates will be set as soon as the plans are approved.

The council then discussed at length the proposed city budget for fiscal year 2011-12, eventually approving first reading on a motion by Councilman Smith.

Mayor Nicky Smith and the council reviewed the budget department by department, and almost line-item by line-item, beginning with the general fund account, which is estimated at just under $200,000.

As always, the bulk of the budget pertains to the water and sewer utilities, at well over $2.6 million. Other departments proposed budgets are just over a half-million in the police department, just over $99,000 in the fire department, and just under $230,000 in the street department.

The overall budget is similar to the current year’s operating budget and is still extremely tight, with increases in employee health insurance and retirement, but some savings in other departments, such as chemicals used in the water and sewer departments.

Councilman Delk, in noting there wasn’t any pay raises for city employees in the proposed budget, did state the city had some good workers and asked the mayor to look into the budget throughout the year and possibly give a small increase in pay to employees if funds were to become available.

The council also entered into a 20-minute closed session on the possible dismissal of an employee in the water department. However, no action was taken on the issue when the council returned to open session.

Prior to adjourning, Mayor Smith agreed to try and get some blacktopping done in some areas of the city when possible, including the area in front of the Clinton County Hospital.

The council will hold a special call meeting later this month to approve final reading of the new budget, which has to be in place by July 1. The next regular meeting is slated for July 5 at 5 p.m. at city hall and is open to the general public.