Council passes 2009 budget
Council passes 2009 budget New Town’s city council passed its 2009 budget Monday afternoon, a budget that will levy nearly $350,000 on taxable property in a growing community. A total of 218.95 mills will be levied that is expected to generate $349,908.33 through next year. It’s the maximum amount of mills that can be levied by law. City auditor Tanya Salter told the council she had made several changes that were requested during a preliminary budget meeting that was held a couple of weeks ago. One of the changes was in the public building fund. Salter said originally, the amount entered was zero, but because the fund is part of a mill levy, the North Dakota Century Code requires an expenditure. Salter added $25,000 into the fund, under operations and maintenance, primarily because of a water loading facility for trucks that is being built on the east edge of New Town. She said the city may choose to use electronic recording data when the site is built and if that is the case, the proper amount is budgeted. "It’s better to have it budgeted and meet the need, then to have to go in and rework the budget," said Mayor Clare Aubol. "But just because it’s in the budget, doesn’t mean it needs to be spent." Aubol talked briefly about each section in the budget and confirmed with Salter the amounts listed that totaled the $349,908.33.
