Murray City Council members could approve the next city budget as early as their next meeting on Thursday. They’ll review Mayor Bill Wells’ second budget proposal after finance committee members objected to the first proposal’s use of a payment to the fire and police pension fund to shore up a $145 thousand budget gap.
City Finance Director Alan Lanier says the fund is currently self-sufficient and no payments to pensioners would have been missed without the money. He says the mayor’s new proposal is a balanced budget based on committee recommendations, including cutting fire department and planning department vehicle purchases amounting to about $40 thousand. The new proposal also reinstates special appropriations funds for local groups like Murray Main Street and Murray Art Guild, albeit with 5% funding cuts.
