Knox City Council to Review Budget

 The Knox City Council members were presented with the 2015 budget and the budget calendar during Tuesday night’s meeting.

Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston explained that the budget process has been pushed back a bit due to a pilot program with which the county is involved.

“I had to move the final adoption later on in the calendar – much later than we normally go,” commented Houston. It has to between Oct. 15 and the end of October because we are part of the new pilot program with the county and the State. The county does not have to get back with their non-binding recommendation until the 15th.”

As part of the pilot program, Houston had to create a letter stating if the city is going to incur any new debt in 2015 or expect a project that will cost the city outside of the levy. The State will then make recommendations to the county and to the city about any changes.

In this pilot program, the State will study the impact of the circuit breaker laws.

The budget calendar has been approved by the Department of Local Government Finance. The public hearing will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 9 during the regular meeting of the city council which begins at 7 p.m. CT in Knox City Hall.

If the council members have any big changes to the budget, Houston asked that they be made by the hearing date.

The budget is estimated at $2,800,00 and will be published for the residents to see. Final adoption of the budget is slated for Oct. 28.