Delphi City Council members met in a work session with Mayor Randy Strasser Wednesday until nearly midnight to discuss 2011 budget requests and to determine how much it will cost to run the city next year. No decisions were made, however it is expected that department spending appropriations will closely resemble those numbers discussed at the meeting. The proposed budget is expected to be put before the council for a vote at the Aug. 2 regularly scheduled meeting.

The $2,059,045.10 spending plan contains a two percent raise for all city employees.

Requests from many departments hovered close to their 2010 allocations. However there were some that deviated from last year’s appropriation.

The city council plans to appropriate more funds than what was requested by the Delphi Airport, but the overall appropriation is expected to be $19,450 less than last year’s spending plan. The budget includes a $6,500 contract with Brian Stirm for airport management services, which includes mowing the facility and an additional $2,000 for mower fuel.

According to a contract signed by the mayor in June but not yet signed by Stirm, the airport manager will oversee airport operations 365 days each year, enforce airport operating rules, maintain safe runway conditions, airport lighting, airport vehicles by supplying labor and maintain avenues of communication between the board, the media, airport operators, aircraft owners and pilots. The manager is also responsible for control of fixed base operators by terms of their leases, to oversee FAA and INDOT requirements, contractor supplied maintenance and construction and environmental concerns and safety.

The city’s Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT) budget includes $20,000 for a community development director. The amount is double what was appropriated for 2010. The contract with Kevin Kologinsky was signed at the end of June. He is paid $1,250 each month for at least six months. Kologinsky’s contractual duties include serving as the city liaison with various state, county and federal agencies, coordinating community projects with Delphi Main Street and other local community organizations, seeking grant funding and coordinating grant submissions and processes with the city’s grant administrator and the Kanakee Iroquois Regional Planning Commission (KIRPC). He will also monitor and facilitate community development projects, perform public relations activities for specific projects and direct special projects as requested by the mayor. He will facilitate community development by meeting with legislators, government officials and employees, participate in various economic and community committees and organizations and attend community development conferences, seminars and meetings for the city.

The 2011 proposed appropriation for Delphi Police Department is $22,400 more than the department received last year. Chief John Chapman explained the increase is due in part to the department being at full force and the necessary financial support that requires.

The Solid Waste budget for 2011 no longer includes a discount for the trash truck that was sold to Indiana Waste Systems Inc as part of their contract with the city. The truck was valued at $60,000 two years ago and that cost was deducted incrementally from the cost of doing business with the trash haulers for the past two years. It is expected to cost the city an additional $30,000 in 2011 for the service.

User fees for the service attached to water bills have not only paid for the Indiana Waste Inc trash removal service but also for the $25,000 recycling contract for the past two years. That situation will no longer exist and the city’s taxpayers in general will again be responsible for the recycling cost. The $25,000 for the city recycling program was moved from the solid waste budget to the general fund budget. Failure to move the expense would have resulted in an additional $3 on each resident’s water bill.

In summary, proposed department 2011 budgets include: • Airport - $57,300; • City Building - $47,164; • City Court - $4,635; • Clerk’s Office - $39,706; • Cum. Cap. Imp. - $5,000 • EDIT - $110,259; • General Fund - $614,300; • Mayor’s Office - $19,088; • Parks Dept. - $139,353.16; • Police Dept. - $406,335.94; • Police Pension - $34,309; • Street Dept. - $357,008; • MVH - $106,357; • LRS - $11,400; and • Solid Waste - $106,830.

The detailed proposed budget can be viewed at the city building prior to the Aug. 2 city council meeting which begins at 7 p.m.