Wellington City Council passes 2018 budget; Senior Center supporters object to funding decrease
By James Jordan, Sumner Newscow – The Wellington City Council passed its budget Tuesday night with a 4-1 vote. There is a 1.9 mill increase in the general fund, but discussion centered around a funding loss for the Wellington Senior Center.
Before the budget vote, several people spoke at a public hearing on the budget, calling for that money to be restored. The senior center was set to receive $3,750 instead of the $5,000 it had received in previous years.
Senior center director Lena Sistrunk said utility rates have increased, and a decrease in funding as well from the city was a double hit to the center. She said the money they get from the city goes to pay utility bills. Their bills are around $800 per month, so it doesn’t take long to go through the amount the city has allocated.
Several people spoke about the things the center does for the community, and how any funding loss hurts. They are a non-profit group and get a lower rate for utilities, but still have expenses.
The council members were sympathetic, and talked about how they would adjust the budget to accommodate the center.
Several other groups also had their funding cut.
Some suggested taking the money out of the golf course subsidy fund, but City Manager Shane Shields said while that could be done, it is a different fund.
Mayor Shelley Hansel offered to give her salary as mayor, which is about $2,000 per year, to make up the difference. Council member Jim Valentine did as well.
Shields pointed out that there is about $700,000 in contingency money available. He said the council could just take it out of the general fund, and leave it to him to figure out exactly how to do that. The budget is a spending plan and there are usually some minor differences in how it actually works out each year.
Other groups also had some funding cuts. The museums asked for $7,500 and received $6,000. The Wellington Historical and Genealogical Society asked for $4,000 and is getting $3,000. The Humane Society is getting the entire amount it asked for, which was $25,000, but the city had committed to that amount earlier.
The golf course had asked for $344,000 and is getting $226,000.
After some discussion the budget was passed, with Kelley Hawley voting no. Kip Etter and Vince Wetta were not there. The Mayor voted for the budget as well, to give it the four votes required.
The total General Fund budget is $8.3 million. Expenditures for 2017 are expected to be $8.2 million.
