Friday's Internet Edition, September 10, 2010.
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News editor - The Copperas Cove City Council met Tuesday to discuss the fiscal year 2003-2004 budget process and its expectations for the budget.
City Manager Steven Alexander said the workshop was an opportunity for council members to let him know what areas of the budget needed to be focused on.
Bradi Diaz, council member asked Alexander if information were available as to what projects the council would be able to do before increasing tax rates. Alexander said that information would be brought to council members at a later date.
Councilman Fred Harris said he understands the problem citizens have with paying taxes, as he is a taxpayer himself. “But we can’t let the city go down by holding back taxes,” he said.
Bud Owsley, council member, said the city’s budget should allow for the promotion of economic development activities, while Harris asked about personnel turnover. Kelli Sames, director of human resource, said the city has experienced a low rate of turnover.
After Mayor Rodney Nauert expressed interest in the activities of the Parks and Recreation Department, Alexander said the budget does need to allow for a focus on maintaining parks and equipment. He said later he didn’t want it to appear like the department wasn’t doing well. The department does a good job and does a lot with what they have, he said.
Alexander listed items needing repair, such as park entryways, roads, all three pools and the civic center. “We need to be able to offer high quality parks to our public,” he said.
Council members discussed making changes to the list of top ten goals to focus on in developing the budget. The council decided that the issues with solid waste, number seven on the list, have been resolved. The matter will come to the council for a final decision at a later date.
The budget should be completed by July 1, said Alexander.
In other business, council members approved a resolution giving the city manager the authorization to enter into a capital lease agreement with SunTrust Leasing Corporation of Towson, Md., for the purchase of financial and administrative software and hardware from Incode, Inc.
The new financial software, which will cost $221,814 with an interest rate of 2.21 percent, will correct problems the city is currecntly having with payroll and utility billing, said Robert Camareno, assistant city manager and director of finance.
The software will also give city staff the ability of viewing budget and transaction history for more than one fiscal year, he said.
Camareno said the Incode software also includes a human resource component which will give personnel the ability to mange employees better, track employee leave, safety and accidents, as well as administer benefits.
Other benefits of the software include better customer service, said Camareno. “Once implemented, the staff will be able to provide utility customers with more inquiry and payment options,” he said. “For example, customers will have the ability to pay their accounts via bank drafts and view their utility accounts online.”