The Auburn City Council approved the 2012 city budget. Revenues total $4,788,261.20, up from 2011. Approved expenditures total $4,627,167.38, and Auburn has cut expenses by more than $90,000 from 2011.
The council approved document shredding services at the police department and city hall by Recall, a company based in Norcross. The cost will range between $30 and $45 per container picked up for destruction.
The council approved a change in contract for Corporal Lafreniere. He agreed to accept half of his hours for caring for K9 Orfey when not at work. Currently, the corporal is paid for seven hours per week; he is willing to accept 3 1/2 hours instead.
The council approved the Gwinnett County property taxes and the millage rate. The approved rate is 4.796 percent, unchanged from the past four years.
The council voted to participate in the National League of Cities Prescription Drug Card Plan. Auburn is already a member of the league, and the plan will not cost the city or plan participants. Free cards will be sent to the city and distributed to residents. The plan provides drug discounts of up to 20 percent for uninsured individuals and families. CVS Pharmacy participates in the plan.
The council approved a plan to partner with I-9 Sports. The organization will plan, market and implement all youth sports programs. I-9 currently handles sports programs for Sugar Hill and Gwinnett County. The program will be at no cost to the city, and I-9 will use the existing city facilities. Auburn will receive 10 percent of all program registration fees.
The council approved a name for the park at Parks Mill. The name will be City of Auburn Ballfields. Parks and Leisure Director Gary Schussler reported that the fields are playable, though the park is still a work in progress. The first game will be played on the fields at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9.
Auburn received a Georgia Chiefs of Police grant for new police technology. The $12,500 grant must be used to buy laptops for seven patrol vehicles. The laptops must be installed and operational by September 26.
The council approved renewing its contract with Phillips State Prison. The contract pays a security guard to monitor the free labor the prison provides for grass cutting and road work projects. The rate is unchanged from last year at $39,500.
Lt. Moulder reported that all vacancies with the police department should be filled by September 6. The force welcomed Officer Nick Kimber in the beginning of August, and Sergeant Robert Appell started on Aug. 22.
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