MuskogeePhoenix.com, Muskogee, OK

Fort Gibson

Discussion

June 29, 2009

Budgets approved, include raises

By Liz McMahan

Budgets totaling nearly $5 million were approved for the town of Fort Gibson and the Fort Gibson Utilities Authority at the June 22 meeting of the boards.

The five town trustees also serve as members of the authority. The town budget includes police, fire, street and alley, and other services. The budget for the Utility Authority includes revenue and expenses for the town’s water, sewer and refuse services, said Debby Daniels, town clerk.

The budget for the town is $2,715,914 for the fiscal year that begins today, Daniels said. That is down from the $2.9 million for the year just ended.

The Utilities Authority budget for the coming year is $2,226,018, up from $2,066,686 for the year just ended.

Both budgets include a 50 cent per hour raise for all employees, Daniels said.

For the first time in many years, the town budget does not include a transfer of funds from the Utilities Authority, Daniels said. For the year just ended, that transfer was $100,000.

No transfer was approved this year because the cost of treating the town’s water and wastewater has increased so much as the price of chemicals has soared, Daniels said.

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