West Memphis council pushes back budget

City leaders adopt resolution to roll over 2020 numbers into January

By JOHN RECH

news@theeveningtimes.com

The West Memphis City Council met in a special meeting on the last day of the year to allot operating expenses for January. City council failed to produce a 2021 budget before the end of the year. City Council had not met with every city department head. Mayor Marco McClendon looked for money for his proposed deficit spending budget. City Finance Director Tori Perry expressed regret that the city failed to produce a timely annual budget during her first budget building season with the city and offered a new alternative to move forward. Her suggestion for a temporary budget fell on deaf ears at city council which opted for its traditional one-month continuing resolution.

The initial budget proposed by the city administration was $1.3 million dollars in the red. The city employee minimum wage grew to $14 per hour at mid-year. The new budget year 2021 represented the first full year at the higher wage. The city looked to expand city services by equipping new lawn mowing crews to trim derelict lots. The move shifted the work away from private contractors and into the city service See BUDGET, page A2

PERRY BUDGET

From page A1

umbrella. The city was also set to begin lease payments on its two new fire stations and new district courthouse in the coming year. The fire department ordered a new pump truck. City Council had not carved out a savings to balance the budget.

The Mayor continued looking at city and utility reserve funds to bridge the proposed spending gap. He planned on discussing options with city Utilities General Manager Todd Pedersen.

“We have to find some more money somewhere,” said McClendon. “I plan on talking to Todd about it.”

City council focused on past practice rather than the proposed temporary budget resolution presented by City Financial Director Tori Perry. Councilwoman Lorraine Mohamed asked why the traditional one twelfth of the previous year’s budget phrase was missing from the proposed continuing resolution.

“You’re wondering why its not one twelfth?” asked Perry. “This year I had hoped for the budget to be approved 100 percent (on time). However, if you want the one twelfth, I want you all to know you’ll have the budget within two weeks – before February. I honestly believe the budget for 2021 should be approved in 2020. I know there are some things that held it back. But it will be done in two weeks, that is why I called it temporary and not one twelfth.”

Mohamed ignored the finance director’s explanation and moved to insert the one month language into the title of the resolution. City Council unanimously approved the amendment and adopted the continuing resolution. The action provided a way for the city to pay normal operating expensing and make payroll during January.