OTHELLO — Othello starts 2011 with less money than last year.

The fund is about half a million dollars less than the starting

2010 general fund.

Yet the city remains in a healthy financial state, according to

Othello Finance Officer Mike Bailey.

The 2011 general fund budget will have around $1.2 million to

divide among various city departments, Bailey said in a budget

discussion.

“I

want to really commend all city staff for keeping the budget slim

this year,” said councilmember Kenneth Johnson.

In

a preliminary budget discussion, the city decided to use around

$387,500 from the general fund towards various department

purchases.

Councilmembers will look at the enterprise funds in the next

council meeting. Enterprise funds comes from water, sewer and solid

waste services and are kept in service through user fees.

A

city can borrow money collected through the enterprise funds to pay

for any loss from the general fund.

The city did not have to make any position cuts from the general

fund for 2011.

The largest purchases made through the general fund was a

skateboard park and the continued construction on a Community

Center, both costing $100,000.

Othello Police Department also asked for fund increase in the

upcoming budget.

The police department asked city council to consider turning a

part-time dispatcher position into full-time, adding an additional

$19,885 to their 2011 budget.

The department also asked for an additional police officer to add

on to its current 15 officers on staff, which would require an

additional $65,206 from the general fund.

“Re-establishing the allocated strength will allow us to

participate in other programs,” stated Othello Police Chief Steve

Dunnagan.

City council decided to allow for the department to add an

additional officer and not turn the part-time into a full-time

dispatcher position.

Councilmembers said that they would rather continue paying for any

overtime incurred through the part-time dispatcher position,

reasoning the cost is still less than turning the position into

full-time.

“In 2010, the city paid the part-time dispatcher $6,500 in overtime

charges,” said Bailey.

A

few other departments asked for increased funds in the upcoming

budget as well.

City Hall will make its building compliant with the Americans with

Disabilities Act with an upgrade costing $15,000.

City officials are also looking to increase funds for exterior

maintenance purposes, costing $20,000.

Bailey said the city is hoping to approve its budget for 2011

before Nov. 22.

As

budget discussions continue, councilmember Marc Spohr reminded the

council of the current state of the economy.

“The minimum wage got a slight raise this year and Social Security

received zero increase. I believe it is the prudent thing to do to

not raise our salaries higher,” said Spohr.