By Ken de la Bastide
With no discussion, the Kokomo Common Council approved a $52 million budget for 2010.
The council voted Monday to adopt the fiscal plan, which includes $36.2 million in the general operating fund.
The budget, presented by the administration of Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight, includes a 4 percent cut in 2009 spending and the elimination of 11 positions on the Kokomo Fire Department.
Councilman Mike Karickhoff, R at-large, said there were very few changes made to the budget as presented by the administration.
He explained that, as has been done since 2003, an independent review of the budget proposal was completed by accountants Crowe Chizek of Indianapolis.
Karickhoff said the budget is less than 1 percent, or $219,000, above the maximum levy cap.
He said the general fund operating balance will be at 22.7 percent at the end of 2009 and will decrease to 17.4 percent at the conclusion of 2010.
“Crowe Chizek said that would normally be sufficient, but 2011 and 2012 will be tough fiscal years,” Karickhoff said. “We have a solid budget, one that will be approved by the Department of Local Government Finance.”
dixon work Ok’d
The council passed to third reading an ordinance appropriating $583,800 in Economic Development Income Tax funds for the Dixon Road expansion.
Karickhoff said that is the city’s share of the construction costs.
The road will be widened to five lanes between Sycamore and Friendship Boulevard, and will be widened to four lanes between Friendship and Judson Road.
Work is expected to be completed on the project by the end of 2010 with no road closures impacting local businesses during construction.
traffic plan passes
The council also passed through second reading an ordinance to eliminate the traffic signals and convert five intersections to four-way stops.
The traffic signals will be removed at the following intersections: Taylor and Main streets; Taylor and Union streets; Mulberry at Union, Main and Buckeye streets.
Carey Stranahan said last week at a meeting of a downtown committee that the plan is to change the lights to flashing red and yellow by Oct. 27 and to remove the stoplights starting Nov. 30.
Temporary stop signs and signs indicating cross traffic does not stop will be put in place, he said.
• Ken de la Bastide is the Kokomo Tribune enterprise editor. He can be reached at (765) 454-8580 or via e-mail at ken.delabastide@kokomotribune.com
