City receives budget requests
Published Thursday, August 6, 2009
By Jebb Johnston
Staff Writer
The dollar figures mounted quickly Tuesday as agency budget requests
began to pile up before the Board of Aldermen.
While the Corinth-Alcorn Humane Society is requesting a major funding
increase, the Crossroads Museum is seeking city support after seeing
its funding shifted to the Crossroads Area Convention & Visitors
Bureau last year. The city had historically provided financial support
for the organization, but the final fiscal 2009 budget included nothing
for the museum on the grounds that it is a tourism function.
The museum submitted a funding request of $13,750, and board member
Sandy Walker told aldermen that the organization wants to rely on
the monies it receives from the tourism office for support of events.
The CACVB's proposed budget includes $12,750 for the museum, the same
amount it received last year.
The museum is requesting $11,000 from the county.
The Alliance is requesting $80,000, the maximum amount the city is
allowed by law to contribute. The board gave the organization a $12,000
boost to $80,000 last year to help maximize efforts to lure a Toyota
spin off industry -- a prospect that went cold.
"A year ago we were chasing a handful of auto suppliers for the
Toyota facility," said Chandler. "Since then, we have learned
that they have had a change of focus from the Highlander to a Prius
and then put the facility on indefinite hold. With the economy tanking
like it did over the last 12 months, what we've focused on here locally
is holding on to what we've got. I think we've done a fairly good
job thus far of doing that."
He noted the 200 jobs retained at the former ACT plant.
"I'm meeting with four or five plant managers a month trying
to gauge what their needs are, what we can do from a local, state
and regional level to help them thrive," said Chandler. "Right
now, in the last couple of weeks, I see things hopefully picking up
a little bit."
He said Corinth has been fortunate not to face some of the hardships
many other communities have faced in terms of plant closures.
The Corinth Library presented an operating budge totaling $118,700,
unchanged from last year's request. Northeast Regional Library Director
William McMullin said the library continues to see increased business
during the economic downturn. While the library for years averaged
9,000 items circulated monthly, that figure reached 12,000 during
June.
"People are flocking to the library," he said.
The library plans some renovations to the grounds during the coming
fiscal year.
Other requests came from the Corinth-Alcorn County Airport for $110,000;
Main Street Corinth for $25,000; and Crossroads Arena for $125,000.
In other business:
- The board adjudicated cleanup costs for properties at 1601 Foote
and 1206 Horton for $1,395 and $1,695, respectively. The totals, which
each include $400 to cover legal and administrative costs, will be
assessed to the tax bills of the property owners.
- First Presbyterian Church on East Shiloh Road gained a variance
for a front yard set back of 16 feet rather than 30 feet for construction
of a youth house. The project will result in the farmers' market moving
north of its current location.
- Randall and Tammi Frazier received a side yard set back variance
from 10 feet to 6 feet for construction of a pool and pool house at
their Taylor Street residence.
- Aldermen granted a beer permit for Amps on Proper, an establishment
opening on Proper Street on the eastern edge of the city.
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