Published: May 17, 2008 12:37 am            

City rolls out 2008-09 budget

City officials were pleased with a special budget hearing Friday morning that introduced commissioners to next fiscal year’s budget.

“It went very well. We were very pleased,” said Enid City Manager Eric Benson.

Benson said Friday’s meeting was just a “roll out” of the budget, with minor descriptions of each line item re-viewed.

Benson and Finance Director Jer-ald Gilbert said a meeting scheduled after Tuesday’s regular city commission meeting is when decisions will be made.

“The commission will give us their feedback and give us suggestions for where they might want any changes to be,” Gilbert said. “What they want is to make sure their priorities and the peoples’ priorities are met.”

Benson said the city commission again will work with a balanced budget.

“It is again a balanced budget, just as last year’s,” Benson said. “Cash revenues in the general fund are every bit as healthy as last year.

“We have prepared a balanced budget, and it is now the commission’s to do with it as they deem appropriate.”

Benson said all spending levels are based on last year’s numbers.

“How did we do that and encompass rising costs and extraordinary energy cost increases and keep it balanced?” Benson asked. He then answered himself: “We maintained efficiency. The city staff did a wonderful job of keeping under budget.”

Two other meetings have been planned, one at 7 p.m. Tuesday, following the regular city commission meeting, and the other, if needed, at 5 p.m. May 21.

Both men said they expected more members of the public to attend the special meeting Tuesday.

City commissioners consider the budget during May to have it ready for the start of the fiscal year July 1. The budget mostly is intact, Gilbert said, but some changes could be made if commissioners see needs not already addressed.

Gilbert said the fiscal year 2008-09 budget will be higher than the current budget. This year’s total budget was $102 million, and next year he anticipates $122 million.