City of Comer is in the red

Posted by
Frank Gillispie
in News
Friday, September 21. 2012
Comments (2)
The City of Comer is in the red, reports Mayor Jody Blackmon.

The problem results from several off-budget expenditures and declining property tax revenues. These include the new police station, which had been financed with sales tax funds which the city had to replace. Other expenses include repairs to the learning center and a new police car.

The city has overspent its budget approximately $30,000 over the last several years. At the same time, the deadline is past for increasing the millage rate for 2013. The rate will remain at 4.4 mills, the same as the last several years. The reduction in revenues is due to the overall decline in property values.

The city has two old police cars, which will be advertised for sale, and a new company has contracted to collect unpaid taxes from previous years.

“The city must operate as efficiently as possible,” Mayor Blackmon said.

Meanwhile, the city has set a budget hearing for Sept. 24 at 6 p.m. A vote on the 2013 budget will be held at the regular October meeting.

The city still needs to complete work on the water treatment plant. They are waiting for the delivery of the baffle curtain. All work in preparation of installing the curtain is complete and it can be installed as soon as it is delivered. The new baffle should bring the water treatment facility in compliance with state standards.

The city will work with a local resident to correct parking problems involving the Travel museum, and to correct water problems on Clover Avenue.

The council voted to take no action on phase one of the Hwy. 72 project. The moving of water and sewage pipes on 1,000 feet of Hwy. 98 will likely be several years away. That work will cost the city up to $212,000, and they will have to work on financing for that project when it is closer to reality.

The Comer Women’s Club will use the Travel Museum again this year in support of the city’s Christmas parade. The mayor and council are looking for motorized golf carts to use In the parade.

The city is looking for ways to honor local resident Bethany Poole who has just won a World Open Flag Baton Championship. A position of honor in the Christmas Parade was suggested.

Work on a city-wide yard sale is continuing.
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#1 Comer man on 09/26/12 at 01:30 PM [Reply]
I thought that the new Police Chief would make lots of money for the city. He can not do that sitting in the office!
#1.1 girl who cares on 09/28/12 at 07:54 AM [Reply]
For anyone who has problems with the Comer Police Dept.... They do a wonderful job at what they do!! If it wasn't for the Comer Police then people would be waiting alot longer for calls to be answered if an emergnecy was to happen!!! The police dept. brings in alot of the revenue for the city so I dont understand why people are complaining about them. Maybe the city is in the "red"more than it should be bc the new mayor, Jody Blackman and council bought the old Kingsway Church for $40,000 that the city did not have!!! So before the people in comer start bagging on the police dept., think about what the Mayor and council are doing with citys money that is being "wasted"
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