Council Approves University City Budget For Fiscal Year 2012

The City Council passed a resolution Monday night approving University City's budget for Fiscal Year 2012.

The final budget is balanced, with a $700,000 surplus, said University City Mayor Shelley Welsch. The previous leadership had projected a budget deficit of $900,000. 

Councilmembers Lynn Ricci (Ward 2), Stephen Kraft (Ward 1), Arthur Sharpe Jr. (Ward 3) and Mayor Welsch voted in favor of the resolution approving the budget, while Councilmembers Byron Price (Ward 3) and Terry Crow (Ward 1) voted against it. Councilmember L. Michael Glickert (2nd Ward) had an excused absence.

The budget vote came at the end of a contentious three hour meeting, which saw Councilmembers Price and Crow unsuccessfully introduce several motions to amend the budget. Price wanted the budget amended to strike down two items --  $30,000 for a new microphone system for the City Council Chamber, and $25,000 to hire a part-time clerical assistant. The motion was backed by Councilmember Crow, but received no other support. 

"The microphones are working fine tonight," said Price. "We just got to know what button to push. That’s an administrative issue." Crow said purchasing a new mic system would be a complete slap in the face to City employees who lost their jobs this year.

'We’ve asked every other department in this city to scale back." Do we really need to spend $30,000 on another microphone system when we've asked every other department to cut back, he asked.

Throughout Monday evening's meeting, the microphones did act up, driving home the point that they appear to be problem plagued.

Crow introduced an amendment that would have removed $10,000 from the  budget, allocated for City council professional development. It failed. 

 Ricci said the money, is essential for the council to carry out its service.

"This is not a vacation. This is training so we can better serve you. We are lay people," Ricci said.

Price also moved to delay voting on the budget resolution altogether, until the next City Council meeting because Councilmember L. Michael Glickert was not in attendance and didn't vote on the budget. But, it gained no traction.

Ricci said if Glickert had something to impart on the budget he would have already done so.

Price also made a motion to increase the budget amount for the Youth Employment program and the Home Rehabilitation Loan program from $80,000 each to $100,000 each. That motion failed to find support and was voted down.

Following the council meeting, City Manager Lehman Walker told University City Patch that he was pleased, that for the most part the council supported the budget.

"There are some minor issues that a couple of councilmembers disagree with and that's fine. But on balance, they supported the proposed expenditures and revenues and I'm very pleased with that," said Walker.

"There will be healthy disagreement and that is how public policy is made," Walker added.

Councilmember Ricci was pleased with the budget, noting that Walker inherited  a million dollar deficit , "and it is gone."

"I think its quite amazing," she said. Ricci supported allocating money for a part-time clerical assistant. 

"Our city clerk  is here late, nobody is thanking her. I'm delighted were going to be able to help her."

Councilmember Kraft said the fact that University City  has a balanced budget in 2012 is "a real achievement," in these difficult economic times. And he said the fact that no service cuts were made was cause for additional celebration.

He praised this year's budget process, which included seven public hearings and a number of council study sessions. 

 "City Manager Lehman Walker has created a more efficient management structure. Layers of bureaucracy have been eliminated," Kraft said.

On top of the $30,000 for a new mic system, Price also took issue with the City allotting $100,000 for public relations and marketing. He wanted the amount slashed to $50,000. "We don't know what that's going to be used for," he said.

"My constituents, I believe would rather have that money going to services that are tangible - that they can see. He listed off sidewalk, road repair and tree trimming as some examples. 

Welsch said investing in new mics was a necessary expenditure. She said residents have been complaining for years that they can't hear anything with the current system.

"The money is necessary to ensure that this chamber is adequate for our residents," said Welsch.