The Fayetteville City Council

has approved a $25.188 million budget for the coming fiscal year with

plans to roll back the millage rate to avoid a property tax increase if

possible, depending on the county's final tax digest.

The largest item in the budget,

which was unanimously approved Thursday night, is $5.25 million for a

new police station and municipal courthouse building. Also included are

five new employees, two of which are being added for the city's new stormwater

utility.

The city plans to issue bills

for the stormwater utility, and details about the utility are still being

worked out. Fayetteville will collect its stormwater money in a separate

fund that will be used for the construction, maintenance and repair of

storm drainage inlets and collection and disposal systems, according to

city documents.

The city's budget also includes

two new fire engines that will cost $486,818 according to bids approved

There were no public comments

on the budget, which was approved unanimously.

Mayor Ken Steele noted that

the 2.38 percent increase in the general fund portion of the budget compared

to last year was smaller than the city's population increase of 4.03 percent.

"We're getting a lot for

our money," Steele said.

City officials said most of

the general fund increase was for the additional personnel including the

two stormwater utility employees, a police officer, a public works maintenance

worker and a maintenance worker for the city's wastewater plant.

Other capital projects planned

for the coming fiscal year include traffic improvement projects. One project,

at the intersection of Ga. highways 85 and 314 along with North Jeff Davis

Drive, will create an additional turn lane so vehicles heading north on

Jeff Davis will be able to have their own dedicated lane.

Currently, those vehicles must

share the lane with vehicles wishing to turn left onto Hwy. 85, said City

Engineer Don Easterbrook. The cost estimate for that project is $200,000.

The city also plans to spend

$430,000 for sidewalks and multiuse trails. That figure will meet most

of the city's top two priority locations for the improvements: the downtown

area and heavy residential and school areas, Easterbrook said.

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