BY RAY SCHAEFER
Enquirer Contributor
INDEPENDENCE -- Nearly two months after the fiscal year began, City Council on Tuesday finally passed the city's new $2.4 million budget by a 4-2 vote.
But there is still some tinkering to be done. Council has to correct some mathematical errors and move about $9,000 between two funds.
Council needed a unanimous vote to correct the math mistakes under emergency provisions, but that didn't happen because council members Ken and Rebecca Weber voted no. That means council could consider the changes on a second and final reading at its Sept. 8 meeting.
City Administrator Gary Scott said the math errors were made because some of the figures were calculated by hand instead of put into a computer program.
Councilwoman Jaimie Henson said money in two police department line items needed to be changed. A total of $3,500 would go to pay dues to join the Northern Kentucky Area Development District, with the rest going to a fund for a city park in the Hartland subdivision. Mr. and Mrs. Weber also voted against the new budget. Mrs. Weber said she voted against both in part because she felt the city should be spending more money for its five-year street plan.
"I don't feel we're putting enough emphasis there," Mrs. Weber said.
The city has operated under the 1997-98 budget since the fiscal year began July 1. The new budget is about $130,000 more than last year's, and it includes 5 percent raises for the city's 27 employees. In other action, council:
Promoted Pat Taney to city clerk, replacing Linda Baker, who resigned Aug. 18. Mrs. Taney has been the assistant city clerk since 1992.
Heard a request from Barb Hellmann to pass a resolution opposing construction of a new Kenton County Jail on Webster Road.
"The good citizens of Independence have spoken, and they too do not want the jail," said Mrs. Hellmann, who lives in Edgewood but is building a house in Independence.
