Ellijay Approves 2013 Budget

During its monthly meeting Monday night, the Ellijay City Council unanimously approved its budget for the 2013 Fiscal Year.

Following a September budget workshop and another October budget public hearing, the city officially approved its 2013 budget at Monday’s October 22nd meeting. After the approval of the budget, Ellijay Mayor Al Hoyle informed FYN the total for the city’s 2013 General Fund budget will be $1,598,093.00.

When asked if the budget had been changed since the prior budget workshop or hearing, Mayor Hoyle said that the budget had stayed the same. As reported last month, city council had to first balance a $56,000 shortfall before coming up with the proposed budget. To recover the shortfall, city council had to cut convention expenses, vehicle expenses and adjust salaries. Regarding salaries, this meant correcting an overstatement of the salaries projected to Ellijay City Hall and the Ellijay Police Department for the 2013 year. As such, council made changes to city hall’s estimated budget of salaries from $125,000 to $115,000, and also reduced Ellijay’s police department budget by $25,000.

While this type of budget does not include funds for the city such as the Special Purpose Local Options Sales Tax (S.P.L.O.S.T.) fund, it does go to support the everyday necessities of the city, says Ellijay City Clerk Sharon Spivey. These necessities include repairs, electrical bills, and vehicle expenses. Spivey says, however, that the city will now also begin advertising its S.P.L.O.S.T fund after approving the fund for the amount of $246,800.00 at Monday’s meeting. As stated in Georgia Code O.C.G.A 36-81-5, the city is required to advertise any and all proposed budgets.

The council also approved the city’s new millage rate of 3.552 mills, an increase of .349 mills from the current millage rate of 3.203 mills.

As reported last month, the increase in the city’s millage rate is due to the recent decrease in the county’s latest tax digest from $79,000,000 to $71,000,000, forcing the city to increase its millage rate, according to Mayor Hoyle.

See 2013 budget below.