MOVE TO NEW CITY HALL WILL BE INCLUDED IN JACKSON'S '95 BUDGET

JACKSON -- The Jackson Board of Aldermen's 20-minute Tuesday meeting, its first in 1995, belied challenges to be faced in the upcoming year.

First, the group has to approve a budget, and will put finishing touches on it at next week's work session. A public hearing and special meeting to review the budget is set for 7:30 p.m. Jan. 23.

It will be one of newly appointed City Administrator Steve Wilson's first contributions to Jackson. He said the board was making personnel services a budgetary priority this year as in the past.

"We look at salaries, benefits and retirement," Wilson said. "Those are areas where major dollars are spent as in any other form of government. Plus, we are looking at the possibility of hiring additional employees, which means those numbers may be even higher in 1995."

Members of the board also will study Wilson's schedule of employee training, most of it mandated by state law. Police and fire officials, utilities workers and others are required to take so much continuing education each year.

One of the most exciting budget additions for Jackson is the expense of moving to its new city hall. City employees will be quartered in the downtown Boatmen's Bank, which will move to a new Jackson site when the building is complete.

The downtown bank building requires remodeling to make it suitable for a city hall.

"Obviously, there are some things the bank uses that we would use," Wilson said. "We would use drive-through windows and counter space, but not as much as the bank."

A move also means purchasing or updating office equipment. Wilson estimated the total cost of the move would be around $200,000.

If 1995 brings good weather, Boatmen's could be out of its new facility by fall. Jackson officials hope to move at least by the end of the year.

The city is hosting an open house in Wilson's honor from 2-4 p.m. Jan. 15 at the Chamber of Commerce, 125 E. Main.