Fremont board OKs spending plan
By Matt Caulder
Published in News on June 18, 2014 1:46 PM
FREMONT -- The Fremont Board of Aldermen approved the town's annual budget at its meeting Tuesday night.
The $3.6 million budget reflects a nearly $70,000 reduction in costs for the town from last year's spending plan and contains no increase in the tax rate.
"I think it's a good budget," Mayor Darron Flowers said. "It's a tight budget."
The board held a public hearing ahead of passing the budget, but no one spoke.
In addition to approving the budget for the coming year, the board approved a budget amendment to close out the current fiscal year, which ends June 30. The amendment was made to shift money across line items with surplus funds to deficit line items to make up for shortfalls in those areas. The amendment allows the town to close out the year with a balanced budget.
Also up for discussion at the meeting was the town's plan to begin charging fees for non-residents of Fremont to use the town's park facilities.
The move would allow the town to charge for light use as well as renting town ball fields. The town would decide on a charge for using the lights based on how much it costs the city to run the lights.
"We'll look at the kilowatts per hour and pull an average to work from," Fremont police Chief Paul Moats said.
The town would also require a deposit for rentals under the current plan.
The town is basing its plan off of Wilson's park rental fees.
"While we have quite a bit lower costs than Wilson it is still a good measure," Moats said.
The town's cash reserves are continuing to grow with the General Fund showing a nearly $27,000 balance, a large increase over the $153,000 deficit, marking the town's lowest point, last August.
The fire department fund also showed growth, jumping from $68,000 in April to $97,000 in May.
The utility fund held steady at $138,000 after the town received money from Goldsboro for overcharged sewer treatment fees.