The City of Brookhaven is taking in more revenue but alsospending more in 2004, due mainly to annexation and an airportimprovement project, according to a recent budget revision for thecurrent fiscal year.

City Clerk Mike Jinks explained the June 30 revision, approvedlast week by the board of aldermen, reflects any prior budgetchanges plus anticipates any other changes that may be needed forthe final three months of the year.

“Through the year, the board at any time can revise the budget,”Jinks said.

The city’s fiscal year ends Sept. 30.

The $720,715 revenue revision raised that side of the budget to$7.6 million. The $805,572 increase in expenditures hiked spendingto $8.3 million.

Carryover funds were budgeted last year to make revenue andexpenditures balance. Jinks said the city also can absorb the$84,857 budget revision difference.

“We’ve got enough funds to take care of that,” Jinks said. “Noneof this has put the city in a financial burden of any kind.”

The largest revision involved the addition of $518,600 inrevenue from an airport improvement grant. Airport expendituresinclude a line item to spend the money on the project, whichincluded a new runway, fence and other improvements.

Also, anticipated sales tax revenue received a $75,000 boost.That raised expected collections to $3.875 million, the largestrevenue source for the city.

“Any time we budget income, we’ve got to be conservative,” Jinkssaid.

In other expenditures, the revision reflects a $176,100 increasein the general government-administrative budget. Of that, $142,500was to cover annexation-related expenses while much of the rest wasfor special elections during the year, Jinks said.

The annexation increase boosted the amount slated forconsultants Bridge and Slaughter to $160,000 and to $222,500 forlegal expenses related to the expansion. Jinks indicated the totalsreflect funds already spent plus potential other costs.

“We’re still anticipating a possible appeal,” Jinks said. “Wemay not spend all of that.”

A $66,614 increase in capital outlay in the street departmentwas due to a First Street paving project. Jinks said revenue forthat came in toward the end of fiscal year 2003 and was carriedover to the new year.

Personnel services increases in the street and water departmentswere to cover salaries and benefits of employees moved from thesolid waste department when it was reorganized earlier this year.Large expenditure reductions in some departments were due to a fewlong-time employees’ retirements, Jinks said.

Regarding solid waste, Jinks said that budget is “holding itsown.”

Jinks said the city is still working through a transition to aprivate garbage collection service and city-run trash service, butthere has been improvement each month, especially given the amountof storm related clean up needed recently. He said city officialsare still hoping for no major equipment breakdowns in the solidwaste area.

In the budget, a $190,000 decrease in revenue was the result ofthe city no longer picking up commercial garbage.

A $220,800 reduction in personnel expenditures was due toemployees moving to other departments. A $142,800 increase inexpenditures was put in to show the city’s payments to the privategarbage service.

Jinks said a net $75,560 revision deficit was not a cause forconcern in the budget that is required to be self-supporting. Hesaid the city has funds to cover that, and the situation isimproving monthly.

“I think we’re going to see it carry itself without a problem,”Jinks said.

Although there was a $191,976 net increase in expenditures overrevenue, Jinks said the water and sewer budget is in good shape.The largest expenditure increases in the budget, which also has tobe self-supporting, were personnel to accommodate relocated solidwaste workers and repairs for two water wells.

Jinks described this year’s budget revision as fairly normal. Hesaid there are unexpected expenses every year.

“You always leave a reserve to take care of that,” Jinkssaid.