Garden City adopts partial budget
Published 8:00 pm Monday, October 18, 2021
- New Garden City new town clerk Amy Black takes notes during an Oct. 2021 council meeting. Mayor Tim Eskew and councilman Scott Arnold are at right.
GARDEN CITY — Being without a town clerk for six weeks has put the town of Garden City behind in developing and adopting its 2021-2022 budget, so on Monday, the council adopted a budget to get it through the first quarter.
The town adopted the same first quarter budget from last year, which will provide financial guidance through Feb. 2022. The fiscal year runs from Oct. 1-Sept. 30.
“That will give us a little more time,” said Mayor Tim Eskew.
The council finalized the appointment of Amy Black as the new town clerk and treasurer and Heath Meherg as town attorney.
Eskew said they are working on revising the mobile home ordinance to require dealers provide photos of the mobile homes they are bringing into the town and the exact location where they will be placed. In addition, the new ordinance will combine the current dealer and installer licensing fees instead of having separate fees.
The photos will be required to show the front, back and sides of the mobile home. “That way we know exactly what we’re going to get,” said Eskew.
The council put off making a decision on a building it owns across from town hall. At the last council meeting representatives of Congregation Church asked to use the building for its food bank and other ministries.
However, council members said the building may be better used as an office building for the fire department.
“We’ve got to figure out something so there’s not so much foot traffic coming through town hall,” said councilman Butch Bradford.
Fire Chief James Johnson said he would be interested in using the building if it were repaired and painted first. “I’m good with it if I get all that,” he said.
The council said even if the fire department weren’t using the building, it would still need work, and they agreed to get estimates on the cost before making a decision.
In other business, the council approved increasing library employee Mary Griffin’s salary to $12 an hour.
It was also announced that the fire department would be giving out candy on Halloween and holding a Swamp John dinner on Nov. 20.
