NEW CONCORD -- Village Council adopted an ordinance Monday establishing permanent appropriations for 2010, with a general fund allotment of $500,000.
Total appropriations tallied to just over $3.4 million.
Administrator John Huey said this year's budget is similar to that of last year although about $50,000 less has been allocated to capital improvements.
Some big-ticket capital improvements -- such as at the wastewater treatment plant -- will be deferred if grants are not forthcoming.
Also to keep the budget in the black, the salaries of village employees were frozen, Huey said.
A sense of budgetary vigilance seemed to span the administration and council.
"It's going to be a tight budget," Councilman Steve Kokovich said. "We're keeping an eye on every nickel."
During a discussion of goals for the coming year, Council President Al Chaffee referred to the need for "fiscal frugality."
Councilman Bill McCoach wants council and the administration to look for ways to refill the village coffers.
Village officials should seek "to build the general fund back up to where it needs to be," McCoach said.
With all of the economic challenges now confronting the village, local government should look at itself in terms of maximizing "efficiencies," Councilman Brett Essex said.
"We need to look at our house with efficiencies while trying to keep up employee morale in this tough time," Essex said.
Despite challenges, the Village of New Concord is in a lot better shape than many communities, Fiscal Officer Sue Wilson said.
(jlowe@daily-jeff.com)
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