After a lively, lengthy discussion, with plenty of questions, about what is in store financially for the municipality, Delphi City Council members reached a consensus to re-advertise the proposed 2009 budget, thereby beginning the adoption process for the second time. The measure is allowed due to a budget adoption extension to Dec. 1 recently approved by the Indiana Department of Local Government Financing.

Council president Carolyn Pearson requested the special meeting at the Aug. 4 council meeting when the adoption process was delayed. Pearson said at the time she was not comfortable with creating two new administrative assistant positions, one in the police department and one in the city building, while eliminating the grants coordinator position and eliminating dispatch services.

Pearson began the discussion about the positions at the Monday night special meeting.

"It scares me to death that we have a budget that is so iffy," she said in reference to a lack of contract with the county to assume dispatching duties for a stated amount of money.

Pearson said if the county needed more than the $50,000 set aside for the service, the city would be forced to do an additional appropriation out of the city's general fund to cover the cost.

Mayor Randy Strasser said he has met three times with sheriff Tony Burns and E-911 director Jay Dee Cree. He said they were all in agreement with the $50,000 figure.

"I'm not hearing anything back that they will need more than $50,000," he said. "As long as Jay Dee's needs are satisfied, Tony is satisfied with it."

Strasser said it could be January or February before implementation of the combined service plan is complete. Pearson noted there is no money appropriated in the proposed 2009 budget for the city to continue the service past the end of the year.

Pearson said she was concerned that money to support the one administrative position was to come out of the wastewater and water departments. She said she did not understand how those departments would benefit from the position.

"It seems like a lot of money coming out of those two accounts if there isn't any work being done for those departments," she said.

Strasser said the person in the position would answer a central telephone, answer questions and direct callers to appropriate departments.

Pearson said she questioned the need for a position to perform various duties in the city building as the mayor described them. She called the position "not necessary" and said it was questionable for the council to create two full-time positions with benefits for approximately $54,000 ($27,000 each) while eliminating the grants coordinator position, which was a part-time position with no benefits.

"It just doesn't make sense to me," she said. "We have to learn to delegate. You cannot do it all Randy. I just cannot see that the job is so intense that you need another person."

Pearson said the mayor should do some of the duties described for one of the new positions.

"I don't know how you expect us to keep up," Strasser said stressing the workload at the city building has become unmanageable with the arrival of the new highway.

Kyle Germond agreed with the mayor. He said Strasser was constantly interrupted by telephone calls and E-mails he needed to answer immediately. Germond said those interruptions disrupt meeting participants' concentration.

"We can't get by with just one person," he said.

Brian Garrison said he agreed that one position was needed however was "leaning on the fence on two." He requested job descriptions to be able to assign a value to the positions.

"I could go for one," Pearson said. "I cannot see the second position as necessary for what it is costing."

"The position is not in the best interest of the taxpayers," she added.

Nelson Smith said he wanted a mayor who was doing "mayoral things." He said he had no problem with adding one position. He said he wanted to see "justification for what these roles are."

Danny Sterrett said he would support one position but questioned the need at the present time for two.

Council member consensus was to re-advertise the proposed 2009 budget without the second administrative position. Strasser said the remaining position would be advertised in-house.

The next city council meeting will be Sept. 8 at 7 p.m.