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Wayne Saunders
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Tab 10
South Lake Press (Clermont, FL)
June 26, 2009
Clermont must chop $2M from budget
Article Text: ROXANNE BROWN
CLERMONT -- Facing a $2 million shortfall in its 2010 budget, the Clermont City Council is
looking for ways to cut expenses.
"I'm pretty sure we're not going to raise taxes. We didn't last year and I believe we won't have to
this year," said Councilman Jack Hogan.
"To do that to our residents in these economic times would be almost like a punishment to them."
The council started discussing budget figures at a workshop session last week.
In an e-mail sent after the workshop, Councilman Ray Goodgame wrote, "Our financial director,
Joe Van Zile, and our city manager, Wayne Saunders, have been working overtime to
determine how we can operate the city with less money and not have a tax increase,"
In addition, Mayor Hal Turville has voiced his desire to keep the current 3.142 property tax rate
and take care of the city's employees and residents without sacrificing public services.
The reason cited for the shortfall city officials discussed is reduced tax revenues from property
taxes, sales taxes and fuel taxes.
As a way to cut spending, officials discussed seven open city positions that could be eliminated
and three others that could be frozen, including two firefighter and one police sergeant position.
The city also will look at payroll cuts, the elimination of annual follow-up drug testing beyond
surprise testing, the elimination of employee awards, paper newsletters and the city's summer
recreation program.
Altogether, the eliminations and cuts equal more than one-and-a-half million dollars -- close to
the $2 million in shortfalls -- without a property tax increase.
Hogan said a discussion at tonight's meeting also will include the possibility of eliminating early
voting in Clermont, which would mean voters who can't make it to the November polls would
have to use absentee ballots.
Hogan said the savings would be substantial.
"Our goal as we move into more official discussions will be not to lose any employees and to
take care of the public, and I think that's important," Hogan said.
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