THE NEW BURLINGTON CITY COUNCIL…CITY MANAGER JIM FERNEAU…AND THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENT HEADS…TALKED FOR HOURS LAST(THUR) NITE ABOUT NEXT YEAR’S BUDGET AND HOW IT COULD BE WRITTEN TO KEEP THE CITY ON ITS SLOWLY-IMPROVING FINANCIAL PATH.
WHEN THE CONVERSATION TURNED TO NON-UNION SALARY SCHEDULES, NEW COUNCILWOMAN BECKY SHOCKLEY QUESTIONED WHETHER THE CITY SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT RAISES FOR MIDDLE MANAGERS OR ANYONE ELSE.
BURLINGTON POLICE CHIEF DOUG BEAIRD TALKED ABOUT FINANCES AND STAFFING AT LAST(THUR) NITE’S CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORK SESSION. HE AGAIN RAISED THE POSSIBILITY OF CREATING A REGIONAL DISPATCH CENTER…AND HE ANSWERED A QUESTION BY COUNCILMAN TIM SCOTT ABOUT A RELATIVELY NEW, CONSOLIDATED “PUBLIC SAFETY” CONCEPT THAT’S POPULAR RIGHT NOW IN MICHIGAN. BUT CITY MANAGER JIM FERNEAU SAYS THE ARGUMENT AGAINST USING SUCH A SYSTEM IS A STRONG ONE.
THE NUMBER OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS NEXT YEAR IN BURLINGTON WILL BE VERY LIMITED, WITHOUT A TAX INCREASE OR MONEY FROM ELSEWHERE. THAT’S ACCORDING TO FERNEAU…WHO WAS ASKED BY COUNCILMAN BOB FLEMING LAST(THUR) NITE ABOUT A LONG-AWAITED PROJECT ON THE SOUTH SIDE…CASCADE BRIDGE…AND FERNEAU SAYS IT WILL NOT BE ON THE NEXT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN UNLESS ADDITIONAL REVENUE CAN BE FOUND TO PAY FOR IT.
