Hebron holds $40K for fire department - maybe

HEBRON | The Town Council approved a two-year budget for its share of the county economic development income tax Tuesday that probably is a little optimistic.

The total amount approved was $422,800, but Hebron Clerk-Treasurer Terri Waywood said it probably is more than the town will receive. Waywood said the town gets about $16,700 a month, or a total of about $200,000 a year, and she said it has been decreasing each year for the past couple of years because of the economy.

The budget includes $40,000 for the town's volunteer fire department but stipulates it will only get the money if it is available. Waywood said the money would be on top of the regular annual contract amount to the department. The contract includes the provision for the additional CEDIT funds "if the money is available."

"We started this a couple of years ago with that understanding," she said.

The budget for the remaining funds allocates $44,000 for the purchase and/or repair of equipment; $88,800 for improving the town's infrastructure, including work on the streets, upgrading and expanding the parks and community space and beautification projects; $60,000 for economic development programs and incentives to keep businesses or attract new businesses, and $10,000 for programs and events to attract visitors to the town.

The largest share is $180,000 to be used for paying the $1 million in bonds issued for repairing the streets and upgrading the sewer lines.

Waywood said the town's budget was approved by the state Department of Local Government Finance this month with only minor changes. Although she described the budget as "a low amount," she asked department heads to hold the spending down and issued a warning.

She said employees better have a purchase order for anything costing $500 or more or expect to have the purchase request returned and possibly end up with the employee having to pay for it.