City Council Plans Special Meeting to Talk Budget, Revision of Payroll Tax

The Columbia City Council will hold a special called meeting Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

The City Council will apparently have a discussion about amending the allocations of the payroll tax. Currently 30 percent of the tax goes to the general fund, 30 percent to economic development, 20 percent to parks and recreation, 10 percent to the rainy day fund, and 10 percent to infrastructure, such as sidewalks.

According to a source, Mayor Curtis Hardwick plans to ask council members to change the allocation and put the majority of the funds into the general fund.

The city received $200,000 from the payroll tax during the first quarter of this year, which is the first quarter of its implementation, meaning the city will receive around $800,000 in additional revenue per fiscal year.

Prior to Hardwick taking office, the council voted to hold public meetings and develop a strategic plan to set priorities for spending the city's tax dollars but no such meetings have been held.

Also included on the agenda is a first reading of an ordinance amending the current fiscal year budget, which ends June 30.

MEETING NOTICE

City Clerk Rhonda Loy sent the notice about the special called meeting Wednesday night around 7:30 p.m. in an email, stating she had sent it earlier in the day but the email apparently failed to send. She said the original email was sent at 2:15 p.m.

Kentucky's Open Meetings Laws require that a minimum notice of 24 hours be given for special called meetings. Only items on the agenda can be discussed.

The agenda is as follows:

1st Item:  1st Reading of Ordinance No. 220.162 – AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF COLUMBIA KENTUCKY ANNUAL BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 7/1/14-6/30/15,

BY ESTIMATED REVENUES AND RESOURCES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE OPERATION OF CITY GOVERNMENT.

2ND Item:  MOTION TO APPOINT DEAN ADAMS TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD.  TERM TO EXPIRE 5/1/2017

3RD Item:  MOTION TO APPOINT LINDA WAGGENER TO THE  J.O.Y. BOARD TO SERVE AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COLUMBIA CITY COUNCIL.

4TH: Item:  DISCUSSION ONLY OF AMENDING THE APPROPRIATIONS PERCENTAGES ON THE PAYROLL TAX REVENUE.

Rhonda Loy

City Clerk