Dacula 2012 Budget Process Underway

With the current fiscal year drawing to a close, Dacula city leaders have begun the process of preparing the 2012 budget. Officials are also planning to amend the 2011 budget to reflect this year’s actual revenues and costs.

said the city expects to revise the original 2011 budget of $2.1 million upward to $2.4 million.

“This is primarily because we did not include the money for the CDBG (Community Block Development Grant) that went with Freeman Mill,” Wilbanks said. The Freeman Mill Road/Franklin Drive road improvement project was funded through a Community Block Development Grant administered by the county.

Though the CDBG accounts for the bulk of the adjustment, there are some other minor revisions.

“There’s a few little odds and ends that got changed a little bit because of how much we collected or how much we spent,” Wilbanks added.

City Administrator Jim Osborn said the numbers for the budget amendment are not yet final since city expenditures and revenues are currently only posted through August due to a lag in billings and bank statements. Additionally, property taxes are not due until November. However, Osborn expressed confidence the city was on track financially.

“Overall, we’re in pretty good shape,” he said.

City Accountant Rex Milsap noted several adjustments to the city’s revenue numbers, but emphasized the CDBG was the primary change in the 2011 budget amendment. For 2012, the CDBG funds will not be a factor, resulting in a lower budget of $2.2 million.

Milsap said the 2012 budget does not currently include any pay increases for city personnel. Proposed budget expenditures include $25,000 for an accounting software upgrade, $3,800 for traffic counting equipment and increases in insurance and retirement costs.

“It’s pretty much the same budget we’ve got this year, but adjusted for increasing prices,” Wilbanks said.

A public hearing on the 2012 budget will be held in late November and council will vote on the budget in December. The date of the hearing has not yet been set.

In other business, the city discussed an upcoming road improvement project for Mobley Drive, Superior Drive and Laura Lane. The .

“So we figured we’d get right on it while we can before the year is out, before the cold weather sets in,” Osborn said.

According to Osborn, all three roads have substandard base and asphalt. The old asphalt will be removed and the roadways brought up to current standards. The project will be funded through SPLOST proceeds.

The council will decide whether to authorize the city to advertise for construction bids for the project at its next meeting, scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. The council meets at Dacula City Hall, 442 Harbins Road.