Council devotes working session to wrap up its review of draft 2020-21 budget
NC GAZETTE / WBRT RADIO
STAFF REPORT
Tuesday, June 2, 2020 — The Bardstown City Council completed its review of the city’s draft fiscal year 2020-2021 budget at its video teleconferenced work session Tuesday evening.
The $58.7 million budget includes $9.8 million for a number of capital construction projects in the city’s water and sewer departments. City Engineer Jessica Filiatreau told the council that while many of the projects in the budget were carryovers from the current fiscal year, all of them should be completed in the next year.
Most of the capital projects are being funded by grants, loans from the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority, and unrestricted reserve funds, Filiatreau told the council.
COST OF LIVING RAISES. The proposed 2020-2021 budget includes a 2.5 percent across-the-board raise for all employees, which is basically a cost-of-living increase.
The city’s insurance costs are considerably higher this year, Aaron Boles, the city’s chief financial officer, told the council. He has budgeted a 29 percent increase in insurance costs in the draft budget.
The city’s retirement costs are projected to be about the same thanks to action by Gov. Andy Beshear, which is delaying what was expected to be a 12 percent hike in the city’s retirement costs.
CEMETERY COLUMBARIUM PLANNED. Councilman Joe Buckman asked the mayor to increase a funding line in the Bardstown Cemetery budget in order to fund construction of a columbarium, a building that will house cremated remains.
Cremations have increased in popularity, and it now justifies construction of a columbarium at the cemetery.
The cemetery budget includes $20,000 to build the structure, though Buckman said that amount has carried over for several years. Construction costs now would most likely be closer to $40,000. The mayor and council agreed to increase that line in the budget so the columbarium can be built during fiscal year 2020-21.
MAYOR’S UPDATE. Mayor Heaton provided a short COVID-19 update to the council, noting the county had 8 new cases last week, the highest weekly total of new cases to date.
He thanked Nelson County EMS for the help distributing the masks that the city and county obtained and offered to local businesses that were reopening and needed to supply their employees with masks to meet the “Safe at Work” requirements.
More than 46,000 masks have been distributed. Heaton also expressed his appreciate to local distilleries who have created and donated more than 700 gallons of hand sanitizer.
NEXT UP. The Bardstown City Council’s next regular meeting is 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 9, 2020.
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