With concerns about not being able to provide services, particularly at the city pool next summer, the Clarksdale Parks Commission did not pass a budget for the 2019-20 fiscal year that began in October during the September meeting.
Adjustments were made to the proposed budget between the September and October board meeting to provide all the services it had in the past. The commission unanimously passed a budget during the October meeting, but cuts were made and the city of Clarksdale will pay $21,601 of the commission’s bills. Twenty percent was cut from each line item in the budget as long as it was not a set expense.
The commission’s budget is $298,000 and $11,000 carried over from the 2018-19 fiscal year. That gives the commission a $309,000 operating budget.
The city of Clarksdale allocated $134,000 from its general fund, $162,000 is from the ad valorem tax, $975 is from interest earned, $25 is from other receipts, and $1,000 is from park rentals adding up to $298,000.
According to Parks Commission director John Carraway, the commission originally asked the city of Clarksdale for $175,000 from its general fund. The city only provided $134,000 since it will pay $21,601 of the commission’s bills. That includes $6,600 for auto liability and physical damage, $2,300 for general liability, $800 for PIP property insurance, $970 for bonds for position and surety, $10,000 for gas and diesel fuel, $1,000 for mobile equipment insurance and $831 for small engine repairs, which add up to $21,601.
“It would have been just as easy for them to give us the money and then we could have paid our own bills,” Carraway said. “As it works right now, my understanding is when I get my fuel bills in, I’ll present them to them and then they’ll approve paying it at their board meeting at the end of the month and they’ll cut a check back to us. We’ll still pay it, but they’re just going to give us the money separate.”
Carraway said the same goes for the bonds where the commission will present the bill and the city will provide a check.
“To me, it seems like a lot of extra paperwork for nothing,” Carraway said.
“We managed to get to where the budget is feasible to where we can keep everything going like it was. The only difference is $21,600 of what we asked for has a roundabout through them and feed back to us. They’re still going to take care of it that way. It’s a compromise.”
The city has not set aside $21,600 to pay those bills for the Parks Commission. However, Mayor Chuck Espy said, whenever the Parks Commission submits a request to City Clerk Cathy Clark for asking to be reimbursed for any of the items, the money will be available.
“I just think that every aspect of the budget needs to be analyzed,” he said. “I think that this is a great moment in Clarksdale’s history where we can find cuts in the budget to save the taxpayers’ money, but not cut services. I don’t want anyone to miss the big picture – no services being cut and we’re saving the taxpayers. I think everyone on every single board – on the school board to CPU (Clarksdale Public Utilities) board, Park Commission board, COI (Coahoma Opportunities Inc.) – can appreciate that there are all hands on deck to save the taxpayers as much money as possible.”
Parks Commission chair Joel Litton appreciated the city’s efforts.
“I think it was a good thing,” he said. “We appreciate the city stepping up and helping the Park Commission out because it’s all for the benefit of the kids and the good of the community.”
A total of $22,800 was budgeted to keep the city pool operating. This year, $20,000 will be set aside for four lifeguards. Last year, $27,500 was budgeted for seven lifeguards. Twenty-five people per lifeguard can be at the pool at one time, which means 100 individuals will be able to be at the pool at once during the 2020 summer as opposed to 175 in 2019.
“Most of the time, the issue is going to be at the first of the year,” Carraway said. “The attendance at the first of the month really starts to drop.”
A total of $400 was budgeted for pool repairs as opposed to $500 in 2018-19. A total of $2,400 was budgeted for pool chemicals, while $3,000 was budgeted for that in 2018-19.
Carraway did not have an issue with those cuts.
“The city is having the same thing we’re having,” Carraway said. “They’re having a budget crunch, too. They have to try to shift around money as well.”
Carraway said the city income and tax revenue were down.
“We just hope and pray the economy gets better and the city of Clarksdale does better,” he said.
Espy was glad the same services as always would be provided.
“I think the great part about that discussion is those services won’t be cut,” he said. “That’s the silver lining in all of this. The great part about it is the taxpayers demanding that there is complete transparency and accountability. We’re going to continue to analyze every single budget from A to Z. We’re hoping that everyone remains to be good stewards of the taxpayers’ dollars.”
Espy said everyone involved in the process did everything right.
“The mayor and council, we have been charged to be the gatekeepers of the city of Clarksdale and we’re going to remain good stewards as long as the citizens will have us,” he said. “So far, we are doing a magnificent job. I am proud of the Park Commission and I am proud of every single player that took part from the councilmen all the way to the Park Commission board member and their executive director. I think we did a magnificent job in crafting a budget that works for the people and does not cut services.”
