Holbrook City Council Approves Tentative Budget, Hiring Freeze

By Linda Kor
   After a lengthy deliberation process that took place over the past month, the Holbrook City Council unanimously approved the city’s tentative budget Tuesday evening.
   The budget amount of $13,946,294 will be the maximum funding that the city will have to operate with in the next fiscal year. With a difficult economic forecast ahead, the council was very deliberate in reviewing potential cutbacks and clarifying expenditures with city administrators.
   “We have been in this budget process for several months, setting expenditure limitations. Once this tentative proposal is adopted we cannot increase funds, but we can change and decrease funds,” explained Finance Director Randy Sullivan.
   As with previous budget proposals presented over the past month, there were several items that the council required clarification for, such as salary schedules and job reclassifications.
   “This is very confusing the way it is broken down. I’m looking at Finance and it doesn’t make sense. Why Finance not just in Finance? I know that they address many issues, but most departments do,” stated Councilman Kent Darris, referring to items on the budget where the salary for one position may be taken from various departments instead of being listed under one, depending on the work being done.
   “We will make the adjustments,” was the reply made by City Manager Carlo Pilgrim, noting that the administration would do as asked in order to simplify the budget.
   “Carlo, we brought you on board to run the city. Sometimes I feel like this budget is like a wild horse and if you’re gone next year, we’re left holding the bag,” stated Councilman Charles Haussman. “I don’t believe we’ve been prudent in preparing for the worst and next year will be far worse.”
   Haussman also expressed the concern of citizens who have approached him regarding new positions created in administration since Pilgrim began working for the city. “I have had members of the community ask me why are all these new people on board. I have to trust that you’re making valuable leadership decisions. Right now I feel like we’re playing a cat and mouse game looking for discrepancies (in the budget). I think this is it; I don’t want to continue this process.”
   Once the questions regarding the tentative budget were clarified, the question of what remained was brought up.
   “What is the expectation of the amount of funds that will be available in the LGIP (Local Government Investment Pool) after this?” asked Mayor Jeff Hill.
   Sullivan noted that there would be a little over $1.2 million remaining in the investment pool, which serves as the city’s savings account, with approximately $500,000 of that to be held for recurring debt.
   “On Aug. 11, we will be coming back to you with a proposal in which an additional $191,000 in net savings will be recommended,” stated Pilgrim.
   With cutbacks still expected in the areas of jobs and projects, and the possible privatization of the airport and the golf course clubhouse, more item reductions will be brought before the council as the city braces for a difficult fiscal year.
   Darris moved to approve the tentative budget, with the inclusion of a hiring freeze. That freeze would mean that new job positions would have to come before the council on a case by case basis to determine the necessity of that position prior to approval. “I want new positions to come before council for approval,” he said. “If the position already exists, it will be up to the manager to conduct the hiring and firing.” The council approved the motion unanimously.