Commission Approves Service Contracts and Holds Budget Workshop

The Los Fresnos City Commission held a special meeting Tuesday, August 27 to approve service contracts for the coming year and to hold a 2013-14 Budget Workshop.

Contracts were awarded to the Los Fresnos Ambulance Service for $100,000, the Los Fresnos Volunteer Fire Department for $37,000, the Boys & Girls Club for $2000 and to the Chamber of Commerce for $12,000.

In other business, the City Manager Mark Milum reviewed the proposed $4.9 million budget for 2013-14. The city operates under a $2.57 million budget, in addition to the utility budget of $2.36 million. The city approved the same tax rate of $0.711 and will see a small increase in revenues due to new construction and some annexation.

Milum noted some salary adjustments, but did not recommend across the board increases at this time. He explained the vehicle replacement plan for the city and recommended the purchase of one new patrol car for the coming year. Staff recommended expenditures for a virus protection software to help with computer down-time and the installation of automatic gates at the water and wastewater plants to increase security. Milum also said that the city street sweeper needed repair and they would look into the cost of fixing it or replacing the equipment.

Another budget workshop is planned September 10 with approval scheduled before the end of the month.