WR council has heated talks in long meeting

The members of the Warner Robins City Council had a few

heated discussions during Monday’s two-and-a-half hour pre-council session

about recreation priorities and the FY 2014 budget that was not presented.

Mayor Chuck Shaheen said months ago the FY 2014 budget –

that must be passed by July 1 – would be presented at the May 20 meeting.

However, at Monday’s meeting, there were no hard copies of

the budget, only an electronic version floating around among council members.

Shaheen announced publicly that the budget was balanced

with no tax increase, but he didn’t give a presentation of any sort. The mayor

noted that the budget would be available for the public to view on Tuesday.

Council members seemed uncomfortable with only having two

more meetings to discuss the budget publicly before it had to be passed.

The Houston Home Journal was able to obtain a copy of the

budget Monday night after the meeting.

The proposed $35 million budget calls for:

• Management Information System has $85,000 slated for

  computer equipment.

• The police department portion of the budget calls for the

  addition of four detective positions and two transport officers but calls for a

  captain position and two police lieutenant positions to be abolished. Also, the

  proposed budget for police shows a maintenance worker position frozen.

• The fire department budget calls or 11 new positions to be

  added. Three driver engineers, three fire lieutenants and five firefighters.

  The proposed fire budget also calls for $55,900 worth of equipment for the fire

  department. A TNT cutter, a rescue manikin, 500 smoke detectors, a fire safety

  robot and an SUV. Also earmarked for the fire department is $10,000 for station

  2 renovations.

• The only notable change from last year’s budget in the

  recreation department funding is the cost of carpet for the Wellston Building,

  which is slated for $15,000.

• Under city development, administration salary totals are

  listed $70,000 more than last year’s budget.

• Administrative secretary and administrative clerk

  positions are listed as frozen jobs for building inspections.

• There is a $36,000 increase in salary under code

  enforcement.

• The Redevelopment Authority is slated for a $27,500

  vehicle allowance as well as a $16,000 increase in total salary budget.

The council is expected to discuss the budget publicly and

get clarification on line items at its June 3 meeting.

In other business the council discussed recreation, a topic

that has been at the forefront of discussions over the past few months.

At Monday’s meeting the idea of a dog park and a horseshoe

park were discussed for the Springwood Drive area. Councilman Paul Shealy

presented a plan for the initial phase of the project.

Shealy said, “I get a lot of requests for dog parks and

walking trails and I think this would be an excellent area.”

While Councilman Daron Lee and Shaheen seemed to be on-board

with the park idea, the other council members were not. They questioned how the

project would be funded and whether that money would be pulled from existing

projects, particularly the planned sports complex.

Councilman Mike Davis said, “I thought we had recreation

priorities. We said we were going to build a sports complex; now we are talking

about a dog park.”

The first phase, at a rough estimate of $150,000, would

include a dog park, rest rooms, parking, walking trails and possibly a

pavilion. Once that project is completed, officials could decide whether to

continue with the rest, Shealy said.

“What we’re asking for is a start,” he said. “At least we’d

have a dog park there if nothing else.”

“The issue is funding,” Councilwoman Carolyn Robbins said.

Lee interjected and said, “You all know you will find money

for everything else you want to do.”

Councilman Mike Daley promptly said to Lee, “Prioritizing

takes the politics out and brings transparency in. That’s what I thought we

were trying to do, prioritize.”

By the end of the bantering back and forth the council

decided that the priorities are the new fire station, the sports complex and

Walker’s pond (also slated for a park area).

The council also heard an update on the fast approaching

Independence Day celebration and concert.

Since the federal cuts have impacted Robins Air Force Base

and the Armed Forces Reserve Band disassembled after last year’s concert, the

council felt the need to offer help to continue on the Independence Day

festivities for its city.

The council voted unanimously to invest $30,000 in this

year’s celebration.

Allen Tatman, who gave the council the update about the

celebration, said, “We’re trying to save the show.”

The event needs a total of about $100,000, according to

Tatman, but so far organizers have only been able to raise $67,000. That is

including the city’s contribution.

The city funding will come from non-obligated funds,

according to Shealy.

Shaheen said he hopes to keep the celebration alive in the

city and urged businesses to participate as well.

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