admin
08-02-2006, 06:27 PM
From the Joplin Globe website...
Street projects on Neosho's agenda
By Linda Greer
NEOSHO, Mo. - Neosho's new city manager and finance director presented the City Council with a preliminary budget plan Tuesday night that could include completion of street projects long in the works.
City Manager Jan Blase presented the budget plan that he and the finance director, Bob Blackwood, prepared. Both men were hired in June.
Blase said he had asked all department heads to meet with Blackwood to draft the proposal for the 2006-07 budget year.
The department heads will meet again Tuesday in a work session with the council, Blase and Blackwood to come up final numbers before the council considers the budget.
Blase said the work session likely would last only two hours because many requests for capital projects were deferred or rejected without funding. At least an hour of the session will be spent discussing street projects, he said.
"We really need to discuss next year's street plan before you approve the budget," Blase told the council.
Without adequate funding, several large projects have been pushed to the wings, said Mayor Jeff Werneke.
Blase said he will present ways to complete street projects by shifting funds within the street department.
The deputy public works position that has been open since Doug Hudson was fired in February will not be refilled, Blase said. Two other positions will be eliminated, if the council approves. The council also will consider adding five positions, including an administrative assistant to the city manager.
Blase said 43 percent of expenses in the proposed budget will be for salaries and benefits.
"That sounds high, but it's actually below average," he said.
Blase told the council members it is critical that they remember that Neosho is retail-based, and that revenue can increase only if local sales increase. The city must have a feel for how the economy is heading before committing to large capital projects, he said.
Street projects on Neosho's agenda
By Linda Greer
NEOSHO, Mo. - Neosho's new city manager and finance director presented the City Council with a preliminary budget plan Tuesday night that could include completion of street projects long in the works.
City Manager Jan Blase presented the budget plan that he and the finance director, Bob Blackwood, prepared. Both men were hired in June.
Blase said he had asked all department heads to meet with Blackwood to draft the proposal for the 2006-07 budget year.
The department heads will meet again Tuesday in a work session with the council, Blase and Blackwood to come up final numbers before the council considers the budget.
Blase said the work session likely would last only two hours because many requests for capital projects were deferred or rejected without funding. At least an hour of the session will be spent discussing street projects, he said.
"We really need to discuss next year's street plan before you approve the budget," Blase told the council.
Without adequate funding, several large projects have been pushed to the wings, said Mayor Jeff Werneke.
Blase said he will present ways to complete street projects by shifting funds within the street department.
The deputy public works position that has been open since Doug Hudson was fired in February will not be refilled, Blase said. Two other positions will be eliminated, if the council approves. The council also will consider adding five positions, including an administrative assistant to the city manager.
Blase said 43 percent of expenses in the proposed budget will be for salaries and benefits.
"That sounds high, but it's actually below average," he said.
Blase told the council members it is critical that they remember that Neosho is retail-based, and that revenue can increase only if local sales increase. The city must have a feel for how the economy is heading before committing to large capital projects, he said.