Sean C. Morgan
The Sweet Home City Council voted 5-2 to adopt its 2011-12 budget during its regular meeting on June 28.
The $25.6 million budget took effect on Friday.
The budget included contributions to local charitable organizations, which was the reason behind the split decision. The contributions included $5,000 each for the HOPE Center and Sweet Home Emergency Ministries and $3,000 for the Kids Food Pak program.
In addition, the budget includes $10,000 for summer swimming pool operations, $4,000 more than requested by School District 55.
It restored $5,000 in funds cut from the city’s Summer Recreation Program and $5,000 cut from the City Council’s community grants program.
City staff had proposed a budget with $345,000 saved for capital expenses, such as a new City Hall. The Budget Committee reduced that line item to pay for the contributions and restoring proposed cuts.
“As a city, we have a responsibility to take care of the necessities,” said Budget Committee Chairman Rich Rowley. That includes things like law enforcement, sewer and water. “Those things are not the character of a city.”
Helping programs like SHEM, the HOPE Center and Kids Food Pak show that the city is more than an unfeeling entity, Rowley said.
The city is not in dire straits, Rowley said, and it can afford to show its character, to live up to its character.
“It’s not new ground for these things we’re wanting to do,” said Dave Holley, a member of the Budget Committee. In all of the years he has been involved in the city, no complaints have been raised or discussed about this kind of spending.
“I never thought of it as charity,” Holley said. “I thought it was helping people.”
Maybe the process for introducing the proposals was flawed, Holley said, but he urged the council not to throw out the baby with the bathwater.
“Everybody pretty much knows where I stand on this,” said Mayor Craig Fentiman. “I will be voting not to adopt this budget.”
He agrees with most of the budget, but he does not support the direct contributions to the charities.
He supports saving money in the building reserve fund so the city does not have to borrow money in the future to do a capital project.
He also was concerned that five other groups requested funding, but the Budget Committee did not fund any of them. The question is how to justify which get funding and which don’t.
“I agree with you,” said newly sworn in Councilor Mike Hall.
“All of us have the same goal, to do things without bond measures,” Holley said. The city has been putting away money and still should be able to do it.
“I can understand and see the points from both sides,” said Councilor Marybeth Angulo. “I am in support of allowing these funds to go to these different organizations. We are in tight economic times, and I don’t think people are giving as much as in the past.”
As a teacher, she deals with the children who are recipients of these programs, she said. “I believe these are important, and I believe we are a community that cares. I believe it’s important that we take care of people that live in our community.”
She also supported helping with the pool, she said. “I was moved by the fact Junia (Calhoon, aquatics director) was willing to stay on without any pay.”
“I also care about the programs,” Hall said. “I have a problem when people come to me and say, I want to have a say-so where my public dollars are going.”
Councilor Ron Rodgers said he had heard no negative comments about the spending, and those in opposition could have been there and told the council.
Voting to approve the budget were Angulo, Jim Gourley, Greg Mahler, Scott McKee Jr. and Rodgers. Fentiman and Hall voted no.
In other business, the council:
n Approved the closure of 13th Avenueat the Public Library on Wednesdays in July from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.