By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
The City of Parsons approved the Budget for the William Mahan Harman Memorial Fund at the Council’s regular March 19th meeting. Deliberations on the matter included funding presentations from Dennis Filler on behalf of the Five Rivers Public Library Board, Inc., City of Parsons Council Member David Greenlief, Sr. on behalf of the Parsons Cemetery Committee, City of Parsons Council Member Timothy Auvil on behalf of the Parsons Parks and Recreation Commission and City of Parsons Mayor Bruce Kolsun and Council Member Timothy Auvil on behalf of the Benefit of the Citizens of Parsons Committee.
First to present a proposal was Greenlief, who appeared via telephone on behalf of the Parsons Cemetery Committee. Greenlief’s request was in the amount of $22,180. According to Greenlief the requested funds were for the purchase of a new lawn mower and a climate control system for the cemetery’s garage. Greenlief also said the Committee were looking into cameras for security at the site, as well, but were not concerned with it at the moment. “Basically, our request is very light,” Greenlief said.
The Council approved the full requested amount with all Council Members initial individual allocation amounts varying. Council Member Kathy DiBacco personal allocation estimate was for $23,000 and Council Member James Humphrey’s personal allocation estimate at $21,180. All other members had personal allocation estimates for $22,180. During deliberation, the Council agreed unanimously to allocate the full amount to the Cemetery Committee.
The next presentation was from Auvil on behalf of the Parsons Parks and Recreation Commission. The Commission was requesting $246,900. Auvil said there was still $40,000 already allocated for the paving of the Community Center parking lot and the River City Baseball Field parking lot within the budget. Auvil said he also included documentation as to the improvements that are slated to be included in the request for consideration by the Council. Included were $10,000 in equipment repair at the Wellness Center and new steps, reconstructing the Acid Room and a new entrance at Mill Race Park, sign and lighting and the replacement of a swing set at Mill Race Park, replacement of the score board at River City Park and install a single lane batting cage for the baseball field,and additional money towards the paving project at the Community Center and Baseball Field due to rising costs, according to Auvil. Auvil also said that equipment upgrades and parts for the mower for snow plowing and other duties. According to Auvil, the request was “substantially less” than the request last year due to larger projects requested the year prior. Auvil said many of the larger projects this year are funded under the BCP, Benefit of the Citizens of Parsons fund. “There’s a page that I typed up and put in to explain line items, as to improvements for justifying the capital outlay improvements that we are proposing to make,” Auvil said. “It is substantially lower than we asked for last year.”
The Council approved a lowered amount for the Parks and Recreation Commission, allocating $235,000 of the requested $246,900. In their individual initial allocation estimates, Council Member DiBacco alloocated $207,467, Humphrey allocated $206,347.80, Jones allocated $236,434 and Turner allocated $217,400. Council Members Auvil and Greenlief allocated the fully requested amount. The reduced allocation of $235,000 was agreed upon by the full Council in deliberations.
Dennis Filler was next to present on behalf of the Five Rivers Public Library Board, Inc. The Library requested $131,500 at the meeting. The request was a funding increase due to necessary roof repairs and the increasing rising cost of employee health benefits, according to Filler. The largest portion of the budget is for personnel, according to Filler, with the Library staffing four employees. The proposal also included the cost of insuring the facility and flood insurance, Filler said. Most of the special projects included in the proposal were not different then what appeared in previous proposals, Filler said, with the Advocate Project slated to be completed which will include Tucker County history in digital format and preserved for posterity. Filler also said the Library recently were informed that the roof system is failing which has resulted in two major leaks. An inspection of the roof discovered that the roof is improperly vented, according to Filler, which is causing the roof to overheat and has caused light fixtures to fall from the ceiling from heat deteriorated materials. The project has been bidded out to local contractors, according to Filler. “The bottom line is, the roof on the Library is at end of useful life,” Filler said. “Its patched and repaired, but it is just a question of, when is the next leak.”
The Council approved a reduced amount for the request with an allocation of $125,000 of the requested $131,500 to the Library. In the initial individual allocation estimates, Council Member Auvil allocated $85,000, Greenlief allocated $86,500 and Jones allocated $113,800. Council Members DiBacco and Humphrey each allocated the full $131,500 and Council Member Turner allocated $132,500. The Council decided on the $125,000 amount during deliberations and finalization of the Harman Fund Budget.
Council Member Timothy Auvil presented the funding request for the Benefit of the Citizens of Parsons Fund (BCP) for the amount of $780,400.38. The amount, according to Auvil, include service agreements, waterline upgrades, well water intake backup pump, well water intake repair, waste water treatment, Water and Sewer Department needs, Utility Stabilization Fund due to the rates not keeping up with costs, street paving and sidewalks, City owned vehicle payments, annual Fire Department Fund, Police Department, Fairs and Festivals, Demolition Fund, Mill Race Park restroom which already has some funding in place towards the project, but will be fully funded through the allocation, Pulp Mill Pond restoration final Phase Three which includes the stocking of fish and other final details and the replacement of the River City Park Ball Field lights. According to Auvil a lease purchase agreement has been explored that would include a 10 year lease purchase on the Baseball Field lights, with a possibility of extended time, if needed. Auvil also said that Council Member Timothy Turner is also looking into grant opportunities for the project, as well. Other necessary purchased included in the proposal, according to Auvil, included a new street sweeper, paver, roller, skid steer, brush cutter and backup generator for the Municipal building. Also included, according to Auvil is a proposed youth center, Auvil said. “Its exceptionally expensive, but its time to replace the River City Park Baseball Field lights,” Auvil said. “They’re too low, they’re too old and they are wore out and this particular allocation will give us enough money to at least put a down payment down and make payments.”
The BCP request was the only proposal with individually allocated items. Included were the following allocated items and amounts brought to consensus by the Council in deliberation and finalization of the Harman Fund Budget: the HACH Yearly Service Agreement (Water) for $14,000; Water Line Upgrades/Backup Components (Water) for $5,000; Raw Water Intake Backup Pump (Water) for $20,000; Raw Water Intake Pump Repair (Water) for $0.00; Wastewater Lagoon Treatment (Sewer) for $4,600; Kubota Mower (Water/Sewer) for $16,900; Utility Stabilization Fund (Water/Sewer) for $25,000; Street Paving (General) for $85,000; Sidewalks (General) for $13,000; 2013 Case Backhoe Lease-Purchase Payments (General) for $10,500; 2020 Ford Explorer Lease-Purchase Payments (General) for $19,500; 2022 Chevy 3500 Lease-Purchase Payments (General) for $17,000; Annual Fire Department Equipment Fund (General) for $20,000; Parsons Police Department Salaries/Benefits (General) for $90,000; Fairs and Festivals (General) for $15,000; Demolition Fund (General) for $10,000; Mill Race Park Restroom (General) for $20,000; Pulp Mill Bottom Pond Restoration (PPRC) for $20,000; River City Park Baseball Field Lights Lease-Purchase Payments (General) for $50,000; Street Sweeper Lease-Purchase Payments (General) for $25,000; Street Paver Lease-Purchase Payments (General) for $0.00; Large Roller Lease-Purchase Payments (General) for $0.00; Skid Steer Loader Lease-Purchase Payments (General) for $45,000; Wild Cat Brush Cutter (General) for $3,000; Backup Generator for Parsons Municipal Building (General) for $53,000; New Rear Load Dumpsters (Garbage) for $10,000; AC Unit for Parsons Municipal Building (General) for $12,700; New Christmas Lights (General) for $15,000; Hinkle House Food Pantry (General) for $5,000; Butternut Tree Signs and Development (General) for $3,000; Youth Center Planning and Design (General) for $10,000 and City of Parsons Rainy Day Fund (City Council’s Discretion) for $43,287. The grand total of allocations for the BCP Fund were $680,487 of a requested $780,400.38.
The total allocations approved by the Council for the Harman Memorial Fund were $1,062,667. The initial requests from the fund totaled $1,180,980.38 with a budget overage of $113,313.38 prior to revilement and allocation.
All meetings of the Parsons City Council are held at the Charles W. “Bill” Rosenau Municipal Building located at 341 Second St. in Parsons.
