The Tallulah City Council during its regular meeting Thursday approved introductions to amend the 2022-23 budget and also to adopt the 2023-24 budget, both by 3-2 votes. The council also approved a special election for renewing a 7.53-mill tax.
The council voted 3-2 both to introduce an ordinance to amend the current municipal budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022, and ending June 30, 2023, and to introduce an ordinance to adopt the municipal budgets for the City of Tallulah for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023 and ending June 30, 2024.
“We are amending the current budget to reflect expenses that were not in the original budget,” said Tallulah Mayor Charles Finlayson. “We settled an outstanding litigation matter that the city had and we also had a vehicle that was totaled during this fiscal year, so we had to make adjustments in the budget to reflect those expenses. We’ve been very responsible with the city’s finances and we were able to cover those expenses without it affecting the budget significantly. Overall, we are probably in the best financial shape that we’ve been in, in a long time. I’m proud of the job my team has done. We’re taking care of all of our expenses in a timely manner. We have definitely improved financially from where we were,” he said.
The City’s projected FY 2024 General Fund budget shows revenues of $3,296,490 million and expenses budgeted at $3,277,250. The projected FY 2024 Water Budget shows projected revenues of $2,003,300 and projected expenditures of $1,903,210. The proposed FY Sewer Budget had projected revenues of $804,000 and projected expenditures of $1,047,000.
“We will be holding a public hearing at our next council meeting on June 22, 2023,” said Finlayson. “If there is anyone who wants to view the budget, we have copies at city hall or they can visit our website at www.cityoftallulah.org. Our citizens should also remember that if they have any comments on the budget amendments or the proposed budget, they can talk to their council representative or they can certainly call our offices,” he continued. “I want to thank the council members who served on the budget committee for their time and effort. They worked with the city clerk and I appreciate all of their efforts.”
The council on Thursday also approved a resolution for a special election to be held in the fall for continuation of special taxes at 7.53 mills, pertaining to fire and police service and roadway maintenance.
In other business, the council: tabled approval of the minutes of the May 25, 2023 meeting; approved occupational licenses for Christopher Armstrong of King Construction, James Mason of Good Old Pee’s and Robin Bourgeois of RMB; and approved in a 4-1 vote, a resolution accepting the 2022 Louisiana Municipal Water Pollution Prevention Annual Audit.
