Aldermen approve contract funded from fund balance and adopt FY25 budget amendments

A motion to approve a contract with funding drawn from the town's fund balance passed during the meeting; the mover proposed using available fund balance to cover the expense and the motion was seconded and approved in roll call. The transcript records multiple ‘yes’ votes and at least one ‘no’ vote from Alderman Ward.

Councilors then considered a package of FY25 budget amendments. A staff speaker said the general fund operating net change is about $5,700 and that a separate section of approximately $29,000 is entirely grant-funded and therefore does not affect operating reserves. After discussion, members removed a $421 operating police line from the amendment because that item had been addressed previously, and the remaining net adjustments were presented for approval.

Staff explained a roughly $4,300 net increase in Water and Sewer, including transfers that subtract $6,000 in some line items and add $6,000 in others for operating and repairs, and a $10,000 increase in sewer. A staff speaker said the $4,300 primarily reflects newly metered usage at the wastewater treatment plant; the change brings previously unmetered consumption onto the town's books and is reported as revenue rather than as a net loss.

Councilors also raised operational concerns: overtime at the water plant has been high, with one staffer (identified as John in the transcript) logging long hours. The transcript notes that Jerry assisted as a contractor to rebuild plant equipment, requiring a temporary shutdown and an emergency purchase of water from Athens. Separately, a member described a chronic roof leak above an office that has continued despite prior replacement.

The amendments were put to a roll-call vote and were approved. The transcript does not provide a full, unambiguous tally for every member; it does show Alderman Peton recorded as a yes and Alderman Ward recorded as a no. Because the roll-call recording in the transcript is incomplete in places, a complete per-member breakdown is not specified in the meeting transcript.

Members emphasized the town's larger budget problem, with several speakers noting that the government is currently running a deficit and that staff must identify new revenue sources. The body scheduled a workshop to continue budget work (see separate item).