City departments are left scrambling to re-evaluate what areas they require funding for as the Athens annual budget dwindles toward the end of the year.
At last Monday’s City Council meeting, Councilwoman Chris Knisley, D-at large, introduced a pretty routine ordinance to amend the 2013 appropriation ordinance, or city budget, which would allow funds to be transferred between departments.
This included the Athens Police Department, which recently had to transfer $10,000 from the department’s own general fund for supplies and equipment needed for parking enforcement.
Since each department must stick to budget and the city refrains from dipping into its general fund to fill department budget gaps, it’s typical for the city to readjust where the money goes toward the end of the year, officials said.
The $34 million 2013 budget was approved in December, and Kathy Hecht, the city auditor, said she expects a surplus to end up in the general fund at the end of the year. The city started out the year with $12.5 million in the general fund and that number is now floating at $193,000, as of Sept. 26.
The budget includes the amount of money certain departments may require throughout the year, not how much is currently in the general fund, Hecht said, resulting in a planned surplus that is used in special circumstances.
That’s something Knisely said the city did earlier this year.
“Last year we had over 1 million dollars in the general fund carry over, but within the first few weeks of 2013 we had $700,000 worth of bills to pay out,” Knisley said. “You want to keep a careful watch.”
Last week, the city moved funds around to pay for automatic defibrillators and emergency equipment needed in the city’s law administration building, as well as a panic button for the community center, Knisley said.
Hecht said re-budgeting can be common, and isn’t anything to worry about.
“The budget is only an educated guess,” Hecht said. “The budget isn’t whatever money we have, it’s what Council says the departments can spend.”
Council will begin budgeting for 2014 in the upcoming weeks, as well as an additional appropriation for street lighting.
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