Unlike the State of California, the City of Morgan Hill has a
budget for the coming year. The City Council adopted the $101
million Fiscal Year 2003-04 budget on a 4-0 vote. Councilwoman Hedy
Chang had left council chambers before the vote and did not take
part.
Unlike the State of California, the City of Morgan Hill has a budget for the coming year. The City Council adopted the $101 million Fiscal Year 2003-04 budget on a 4-0 vote. Councilwoman Hedy Chang had left council chambers before the vote and did not take part.
There was little discussion on the issue since it was reached at a late hour and the details had been thoroughly discussed at two workshops in March and earlier in June.
Mayor Dennis Kennedy, Councilmen Larry Carr and Greg Sellers and City Treasurer Mike Roorda all praised the finance staff for the prudent and helpful way they went about writing the budget with a five-year projection.
Councilman Steve Tate, who has been away for a month and missed the workshops, said he was able to vote because he had spent time going over the issues with City Manager Ed Tewes.
The general fund part of the larger budget pays for police, fire protection, recreation services and city administration. Its expenditures reached past $16 million. Policing accounts for 41 percent, fire 22.8 percent, recreation and park maintenance 16.4 percent.
City administration, which includes council expenses, the city clerk, city attorney, city manager and finance adds up to 19.8 percent.
In order to patch a $3.7 million deficit, the city reserve was cut to 25 from 40 percent.
In other business, the council appointed four incumbents to the Planning Commission.
Ralph Lyle, Joe Mueller, Robert Escobar and Bob Engles were appointed to further terms. Lyle and Mueller are experienced commissioners; Escobar and Engles were first appointed to complete unfilled terms and were appointed to terms in their own right.
Downtown resident and landscape architect Don Jensen was appointed to complete the term of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Wes Rolley who had resigned.
