With the anticipation

that a dwindling economy could affect Peachtree City's sales tax revenues,

city officials have prepared a list of further budget cuts for the coming

fiscal year.

The planned

cuts will be presented to the City Council at its regular meeting Thursday

night. Council will also consider three contracts totalling $2.507 million

for construction of the tennis center expansion and assuming the architectural

review of subdivisions developed by Pathway Communities, which has indicated

it will no longer do so by Nov. 1.

City staff

have projected that the maximum revenue shortfall in the budget due to

the slowing economy would be approximately $1.46 million. None of the

proposed measures involve cutting any personnel or level of service.

The plan developed

includes use of the city's cash reserves along with delays in facilities

planned by the city. Staff's recommendation falls along several different

levels, with certain cuts indicated if there is a 5 percent, 10 percent,

15 percent or 20 percent shortfall in revenues.

Included in

the possible cuts are $17,500 budgeted for a park at the former Leach

Fire Station property in memory of former fire chief Gerald Reed, a delay

in the expansion of the Gathering Place and another $128,000 in cuts from

the operating budget.

The operating

budget cuts are itemized for council so staff could explain why they weren't

cut from the last round of budget trimming, which was done to shrink the

property tax increase.

The tennis

center expansion would add six covered courts, a central clubhouse building

and an overflow parking area. The covered courts allow the city to host

major tennis tournaments such as NCAA competition; the clubhouse would

be used to house the tennis center's staff, many of whom are located in

a rented office facility nearby.

Also included

in the expansion is a landscaped berm to screen the project from the adjacent

Planterra Ridge subdivision.

Group VI was

chosen to complete the expansion project for $2.235 million. The other

two contracts are with Flat Creek, Inc. for $127,000 to build the tennis

courts and $145,000 with Foley Design Associates for design work on the

project.

City staff

have recommended that the city assume architectural review in Pathway

Communities subdivisions, but no extra staff members are recommended immediately.

City Attorney

Rick Lindsey recommends that the city adopt those and other restrictions

in the deed covenants that Pathway currently enforces. The restrictions

could be adopted as ordinances, he suggested.