Council approves budget amendments for insurance and parks; introduces police and facilities spending plan

Jasper City Council on May 20 approved Budget Amendment 17, which the city said provides $700,000 in additional revenue and roughly $500,000 more for workers' compensation and liability insurance, and Budget Amendment 18, which provides $130,000 for park improvements plus an additional $25,000 for kitchen appliances, signage and outdoor furnishings.

Kathy Timmons (city staff) told the council that Budget Amendment 17 "provided for 700,000 of extra revenue and about an additional 500,000 for workers comp and liability insurance." She said Budget Amendment 18 "provided a hundred and $30,000 for some park improvements ... we're asking for an additional 25,000 for kitchen appliances and some signage and some outdoor furnishings."

Both amendments were moved and approved by the council during the meeting.

City staff introduced Budget Amendment 19 for a range of capital and departmental needs but said no action would be taken at this meeting. Timmons described items in Amendment 19 that included engineering for parking improvements at the new city hall and equipment and repairs for the police department. She said $80,654 of police-related work would be funded from the alcohol fund and transferred to the capital improvement fund; requests related to the natatorium (a portable lift, dehumidifier repairs and ice machines) totaled $53,544; and proposed funding for tasers and a drug enforcement vehicle—planned to come from opioid funds—totaled $64,662. "And that's the introduction today," she said.

Amendments 17 and 18 become part of the city's adopted budget; staff said Amendment 19 will return for council action after review.