05/27/04 — Walnut Creek proposes budget holds line on taxes, sewer rates

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Walnut Creek proposes budget holds line on taxes, sewer rates

By Barbara Arntsen
Published in News on May 27, 2004 1:59 PM

The Walnut Creek Village Council's proposed budget recommends no tax hikes or increase in sewer rates. It will give a 4 percent pay raise for employees.

There are also plans to build a restroom for the boat recreation area and the village will buy a backhoe.

The budget totals $865,200.

Roy Lane, a resident who spoke during Wednesday's public hearing, asked about the $25,000 in the budget for a town hall and wondered if the village really needed a town hall.

For the past three years, village staff has been housed in a trailer. Before that, Mayor Ken Ritt explained, the work was being done out of the clerk's home.

Meetings at one time were held at a nearby church.

"The village deserves better than a single-wide trailer," said Mayor Ken Ritt. "We've grown, and we need a town hall."

Ritt said that the village had been saving to build the town hall, which would cost around $475,000 and wouldn't be elaborate.

"We'll have a small town hall within about two years," Ritt said.