Got to the city council meeting last night about 8:30. Parking lot and the council chambers were emptier than I'd expected. Apparently most memebers of the community knew which way the wind was blowing regarding the budget as I heard after the meeting that only a few citizens had gotten up to defend funding for their programs.
Councilmen Fritzler and Haynes were the only members to attempt a modification of the budget. Haynes offered three motions pulling money from other areas to continue funding various programs, including a proposal to strip $4000 from the Mayor's travel budget. All failed by votes of 6 to 1. Fritzler proposed funding the soon to be vacant and eliminated developmental services manager position by pulling $102,000 from the Convention and Tourism Bureau's budget. It also lost by a 6 to 1 vote. From council comments, the city appears to pin hopes for some additional funding from expected moneys getting freed up at the state level. The final budget was approved by a 6 to 1 vote with Joel Fritzler the lone dissenter.
During closing comments, the Mayor noted that no one was happy with the budget. Lance Jack exhorted organizations that had received cuts to seek more private sources of funds and oppered to donate 10% of a day's profits from Fat Patties to the I Can Read program. Joel Fritzler remember everyone about Irish Fest this weekend, then everyone kinda just wandered off.
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