Huntingdon New 2024-2025 Budget Passes First Reading

HUNTINGDON (May 28) — The Town Council of Huntingdon met Tuesday to go over numerous items on the agenda. First and foremost the approval of Ordinance 628 to adopt and approve the General Fund, Drug Fund, Solid Waste Collection fund, DCPA Special Projects Fund, and Utility Fund Budgets of the Town of Huntingdon, Tennessee, for Fiscal Year 2024-2025.

Anticipated revenue is valued at $5,832,200 with appropriations budgeted at $5,808,300. The largest portion of expenditures is the Police Department at $1,706,900. Finance and Administration is set at $514,500; the Fire Department is $710,800; the Street Department is $760,700; Parks and Recreation is $544,950; General Government is $263,300; Solid Waste is $380,000; the Dixie Carter Performing Arts Center is $722,800.

The Water and Sewer has anticipated revenue valued at $3,323,00 with an operating cost of $3,286,250.

The budget was approved on the first reading. The second reading will occur in the June meeting. Once approved, the budget goes into effect July 1, 2024.

Ordinance No. 627, an ordinance to amend Ordinance No. 619, as amended by Ordinance No. 622 and Ordinance No. 624, the same being the General Fund, Drug Fund, Solid Waste Collection fund, DCPA Special Projects Fund, and Utility Fund Budgets of the Town of Huntingdon, Tennessee, for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY-024) (1 Jul 023 – 30 Jun 024) to provide for the routine fiscal year-end review and amendments, first reading. In essence, this moved various line items around to balance the year-end balance.

Ordinance No. 629, an ordinance to amend Title 18, Water & Sewers of the Huntingdon Municipal Code as outlined in Ordinance No. 620, Chapter 1, Water, Amending Section 18-113, Schedule of Rates; Title 18, Chapter 2, Wastewater Collection and Treatment Systems; Amending Section 18-209, Recovery of Cost (2) Sewer service charges; and Automatic adjust of rate to reflect cost of living, first reading.

This amended the current water and sewer rate by 3% for the annual cost of living increase. This was done at the behest of the State of Tennessee.

The Council rejected bids for the Williams Street Bridge Drainage Project. This was recommended due to a change in the design plan to incorporate a box culvert. The project will be reopened for bids.

The Council adjusted the water bill for Espey Oil – Storage. The company had a large leak with a water bill of $1,466.66. Under the normal adjustment policy, the bill was adjusted to $364.37.

The request from the Carroll County Juneteenth Committee was approved for the use of Edwards Park for the Juneteenth Freedom Festival on Saturday, June 22, 2024.

The Town of Huntingdon also agreed with Community Development Partners, LLC for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation American Rescue Plan Act Competitive Funding. This will provide administrative assistance for $60,000.

In the coming weeks, there will be a committee clean-up project that was recommended by the Master Gardeners of Huntingdon. This would entail cleaning up around the court square.

In the communication from the mayor, Mayor Nina Smothers thanked those in attendance at the Town’s Memorial Day Ceremony. She congratulated the Huntingdon athletics who participated in the state tournaments last week. She stated that work had begun on the TDOT Planning grant. The town personnel have had two meetings already and were gathering information with grant coordinators. The grant fee amount is #199,900 with no local match.

Barbara Knuutila spoke to the Council about the lack of pay for Water and Sewer Department employees. She expressed numerous concerns at length about the department.

The next regular meeting of the Town Council of Huntingdon is June 25.