Sewer hook-up fees likely to decrease
The Fayetteville City Council June 21 will hear the first reading of the 2012-2013 general fund budget that takes effect Aug. 1 and the second reading of a proposal to decrease the price of sewer hook-up fees.
The council, prior to the regular 7 p.m. meeting, will assemble at 5:30 p.m. to discuss the potential for merging the city fire department with the Fayette County Fire Department.
The council on Thursday is expected to get an update on the talks with the county and to discuss other options prior to moving forward with a joint city-county meeting to merger fire services.
The proposed budget comes with revenues expected to increase from $9.466 million this year to $9.525 million next year. Proposed expenditures include a .63 percent increase over the current budget, an employee salary and benefits increase of 2.1 percent, a 2.1 percent increase in maintenance and operations, an increase in E911 services and the continuation of the hiring freeze, an updated early retirement program and a voluntary reduction of work hours.
Expected to come with a millage rate roll-up when adopted on July 19, the budget reflects a 13 percent decrease in the city’s tax digest for 2012.
Fayetteville for 2012-2013 expects to have 131 full-time equivalent positions. That compares to the 163 FTEs in 2008, a 20 percent decrease in staffing.
City staff will also propose a 2.1 percent increase in sewer rates.
Also at the meeting, the council will hear the second reading of an ordinance that would decrease the cost of sewer hook-ups as an incentive for development and re-development projects. The decrease would produce an appreciable cost-saving for new and re-developed properties.
The council on June 21 will also consider the adoption of three resolutions. Those include a resolution “Opposing the federal government’s unconstitutional encroachment on the free exercise of religion,” another opposing the T-SPLOST vote coming on July 31 and a third opposing the West Fayetteville Bypass.
