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Comments
Don Dix
How does the city explain no longer paying for the fire dept., yet needs a rate increase to keep their budget out of the red? At $5.02/k, that is approximately a 42% increase in funding with no designation (from $3.52 to $5.02). Where did non-designated money go at this point ($.50/K)?
Add to that the ongoing $13 monthly service charge to W&L bills that has long since paid the debt for which it was designated.
It seems there is more than a little explaining to do, without the usual 'spin', don't you think?
TTT
Hence the reason Drabkin was voted out...
CubFan
Don Dix you are spot on! I fail to see how the city can justify continuing to charge us for what used to be taxes allocated for the fire department. Now that we have a separate tax for the fire district, this should be removed. Two things bother me-
Initially, when the fire district was being voted on, the city used some fancy wordsmithing to deliberately mislead us into voting for the fire district. It was a way for them to not only get a new fire department, but also continue to charge citizens for it. DECEPTION!
Secondly, that “service charge” on the utility bills. As you said- they have long since paid back the $1.8 million shortfall the charge was for. They continue to charge us… AND they are going to raise that charge to $13.27. Refer to News-Register article from November 12, 2024: https://newsregister.com/article?articleTitle=council-to-look-at-cost-of-rec-center-operations-service-charge-cable-contract--1731445264--50434--1home-news
What would happen if we revolted and deducted that service charge when we pay our W&L bill?
Drabkin claims she Was all about transparency, but it was just lip service. January can’t come soon enough!
Don Dix
CubFan -- Deabkin overstepped her authority to promote 'her agenda' and thumbed her nose at any objections. I commend the voters who saw through it -- thankyou!
Lulu
Who exactly constitutes "staff" in this case? The same old, same old, same old cast of characters???
tagup
With the outcry about not being involved enough in the hiring process for the police chief, shouldn’t the city council & mayor be equally involved in guiding the budget committee and staff ?……
rustyhull
time to hold the city manager accountable ...no one seems to do so. put the heat on!
tagup
Accountable for what?….unless he’s doing something against the council’s direction, the accountability rests at the top.
B
Tagup - You do realize that council have day jobs, don't you?
tagup
Of course, but the city mgr reports to and takes direction from the council right? Budgets are approved by the council, progress updates are reported to the Council. The city’s fiscal heath is controlled by the mayor & council.