published: Friday, June 26, 2009

Clermont must chop $2M from budget

ROXANNE BROWN

Staff Writer

CLERMONT -- Facing a $2 million shortfall in its 2010 budget, the Clermont City Council is looking for ways to cut expenses.

"I'm pretty sure we're not going to raise taxes. We didn't last year and I believe we won't have to this year," said Councilman Jack Hogan.

"To do that to our residents in these economic times would be almost like a punishment to them."

The council started discussing budget figures at a workshop session last week.

In an e-mail sent after the workshop, Councilman Ray Goodgame wrote, "Our financial director, Joe Van Zile, and our city manager, Wayne Saunders, have been working overtime to determine how we can operate the city with less money and not have a tax increase,"

In addition, Mayor Hal Turville has voiced his desire to keep the current 3.142 property tax rate and take care of the city's employees and residents without sacrificing public services.

The reason cited for the shortfall city officials discussed is reduced tax revenues from property taxes, sales taxes and fuel taxes.

As a way to cut spending, officials discussed seven open city positions that could be eliminated and three others that could be frozen, including two firefighter and one police sergeant position.

The city also will look at payroll cuts, the elimination of annual follow-up drug testing beyond surprise testing, the elimination of employee awards, paper newsletters and the city's summer recreation program.

Altogether, the eliminations and cuts equal more than one-and-a-half million dollars -- close to the $2 million in shortfalls -- without a property tax increase.

Hogan said a discussion at tonight's meeting also will include the possibility of eliminating early voting in Clermont, which would mean voters who can't make it to the November polls would have to use absentee ballots.

Hogan said the savings would be substantial.

"Our goal as we move into more official discussions will be not to lose any employees and to take care of the public, and I think that's important," Hogan said.

Hogan said Clermont was not hit as hard as some other cities may have been with revenue loss, adding that it has a lot to do with how frugal city officials are with money and what they decide on doing.

In an e-mail dated June 20, Goodgame wrote, "...How can Clermont's rate be only 3.142 and survive? We do so by being conservative and by having dedicated employees in every department in our city."