Committee approves water and sewer budget revisions, budgets $17,642 in insurance proceeds for vehicle and moves $12,360 into tank maintenance plan

The Tuscaloosa City Finance Committee approved two water and sewer budget revisions: one to record $17,642 in received insurance proceeds to buy a replacement department vehicle, and a second to reallocate $12,360 from two closed lift-station projects into the tank maintenance master plan.

Finance staff member Kimberly Standridge told the committee the $17,642 represents insurance proceeds already received after a series of vehicle incidents. Standridge said one incident involved a staff member who “hydroplaned” and was at fault; other incidents were described as small fender-benders or mechanical failures. She said the department will use the insurance proceeds to purchase a new vehicle.

Standridge also said the committee was being asked to move $12,360 of leftover funds from closed projects identified as lift station number 22 and lift station number 73 into the tank maintenance master plan. The transfer, she said, will help meet a contract need for the tank maintenance project; the total contract cost was described in committee as $75,079. Both budget revisions were moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.

Committee members asked questions during the discussion, including a request for the exact number of vehicle incidents; Standridge apologized for phrasing and confirmed the proceeds had been received and were being applied to the vehicle purchase. No roll-call vote totals were recorded in the transcript.