The Newton Board of Aldermen approved its fiscal year 2021 budget at its regular meeting Sept. 15 and overrode a veto of Mayor Murray Weems to eliminate late charges being applied to the city’s capital improvement fee.
The budget was passed with all of the allocations and subsidies included in the previous year’s budget, including $1,000 to the Newton High School athletic boosters and $200 to the band boosters.
After the board passed a $5 increase of the capital improvement fee in executive session by a vote of 3-1 with Michael Hillie voting no and Eric McCalphia abstaining, a resident informed the board that the capital improvement fee was being included in the 10 percent surcharge for net charges on the monthly bill.
Several of the aldermen expressed concern that the capital improvement fee should not be included in that fee that is charged after the 10th day of the month. At the Sept. 1 meeting, Weems vetoed a 3-1 vote by the aldermen to eliminate that late charge after alderman Romonica Evans was absent and Bob Bridges voted no. Board attorney Brian Mayo said the earliest the board could overturn that vote would be at the Sept. 15 meeting, and it would have to pass with at least a 4-1 vote.
However, the vote passed unanimously.
In a related issue, the board approved the FY21 contract for city attorney Mayo. Before making the motion, Hillie expressed dissatisfaction with Mayo’s handling of the executive session vote to raise the capital improvement fee, saying that Mayo could have “protected us from that embarrassment.”
“I will strive to work better have that under lock and key,” Mayo responded to Hillie at the end of the meeting.
In other business, the board:
• Approved certificate of deposit renewals for the water and sewer and depot accounts at BankFirst for 0.25 percent for 12 months.
• Agreed to place a speed breaker at the stop sign on Belmont Avenue.
• Amended the FY 2020 budget to match expenses.
• Approved the purchase of four computers at the recommendation of BBI, the city’s financial software company. These computers were not budgeted.
• Approved a $5,995 bid to install fire escape lighting for city hall from Evans Electrical and Plumbing Service.
• Listened to Weems as he read a resolution that honored Randy Cuchens. It was approved at an August board meeting.
• Hired Johnson Davis as a sanitation employee at $11 per hour.
• Accepted the termination of Sam Wheaton in public works.
• Donated a bush hog to Newton County Beat 3 Supervisor Kenneth Harris.
• Accepted the resignation of Steven Copeland from the fire department.
• Set its next meeting for Oct. 6 at 5:30 p.m.
