The Laurel City Council approved a resolution authorizing its annual budget appropriations for various organizations and groups within the municipality.
The council agreed to allocate more than $890,000 of the city’s new FY 2021 Budget to a variety of agencies and organizations.
The council approved the city’s new budget in September. The city’s millage rate remained at 43.35 mills. However, officials are expecting a mil’s value is to increase by 5.2 percent this year over its value last year.
The city’s new fiscal year began October 1.
City officials traditionally authorize a resolution authorizing the city clerk to release budget appropriations to a variety of entities upon the groups’ meeting the required guidelines. With no discussion, the council this week adopted a resolution authorizing the disbursement of the various appropriations. According to city documents, the allocations remained the same as they had the previous year. However, the appropriations for the library got a $30,000 boost last year, but this year’s budget allocation remained the same as it was originally budgeted last year which was $8,750 a month or $105,000 for the year.
Emergency Management will receive nearly $100,000 this year in addition to the $300,000 set aside for E911 dispatchers.
The budget also included $3,000 for a language translator and $36,000 for the Main Street Program in addition to the $2,000 for the Main Street program’s state dues.
Other agencies receiving support include the Council on Aging receiving $2,000, Crime stoppers getting $5,000, Jones County Soil and Water Conservation getting $7,000, and the Blues Festival getting $3,000.
The city plans to spend $22,000 with Next Site for marketing and is allocating $194,698 for its portion of the emergency radio system payment and $37,589.70 for the city’s portion of the radio maintenance cost.
The Animal Rescue League has also been allocated $5,000.
City officials said these are the usual allocations made by the city each year.
The council’s recent resolution authorizes the city’s finance department to issue the monthly appropriations as warrants and to issue the annual appropriations as warrants when the organizations present their invoice upon demand.
The city leaders said they are thankful that they were able to still make the allocations available to the various groups and organizations this year during the world-wide COVID-19 Pandemic and its effect on the economy.
City of Laurel’s Budget Appropriations for FY 2021 Budget
Emergency Management - monthly: $8,333.33 - annually: $99,999.96
EDA of Jones County - monthly: $4,583.33 - annually: $54,999.96
Laurel/Jones County Library - monthly: $8,750.00 - annually: $105,000.00
Emergency Dispatchers (E911) - monthly: $25,000.00 - annually: $300,000.00
Main Street Program - monthly: $3,000.00 - annually: $36,000.00
Lendy Velasquez (Translator) - monthly: $250.00 - annually: $3,000.00
Animal Rescue League - annually: $5,000.00
Council on Aging - annually: $2,000.00
Crimestoppers - annually: $5,000.00
Domestic Abuse - annually: $1,500.00
Jones County Tax Assessor - annually: $14,000.00
Jones County Soil & Conservation - annually: $7,000.00
JTR Production Blues Festival - annually: $3,000.00
Main Street Program (State Dues) - annually: $2,000.00
Next Site (Marketing) - annually: $22,000.00
Radio Payment - annually: $194,698.00
Radio Maintenance - annually: $37,589.70