SCOTT CITY COUNCIL GIVES APPROVAL TO '95 BUDGET

SCOTT CITY -- Ward 1 Councilwoman Brenda Moyers prefaced discussion on the approval of the 1995 city budget with a short speech about hard times.

"We believe this is a workable budget," said Moyers, who serves as chairman of the city's finance committee. "It will meet the basic needs of each department."

And that was the good news. The bad news: Every city department had its budget cut from the last fiscal year, some by a great deal, others only slightly.

"This is going to be a no-frills year," she said. "We're all going to just have to hang in there and make things work for one more year."

The city is hoping it will be able to count on revenues from a riverboat gambling operation for the 1996 fiscal year. Until then, workers in most city departments will have to make due with what they have.

The new budget, totalling $1,749,396, fulfills an immediate need -- a city administrator.

"We desperately need someone who can devote all of his or her time to looking for grant money for the city," said Moyers. "They say a good city administrator can pay for himself in the first couple of years. Let's hope he does."

The council voted to begin advertising for the position as soon as a job description is made. Meanwhile, the council will continue to discuss the needs of the city, and what areas it would like the new administrator to address.

The budget also establishes a position of nuisance officer in the city's police department. The officer who is hired to fill the position will be responsible for reports of animals at large, removing dead animals from the streets and ditches, and for enforcing city ordinances on weeds and litter.

"I think we need someone to address these issues specifically," said Moyers. "Then we can get our town cleaned up and bring some pride back to the community."

Near the close of the meeting, Ward 4 Councilman H.M. "Bud" Bader, made a motion to remove Ward 3 Councilman Ron Oller from the position of mayor pro tem. Bader said he did not view Oller's recent vote against the emergency hire of two police officers after the hasty departure of three full- time officers as "conducive to good government."

Oller said he voted against the measure because he did not approve of the part-time officers being paid $7.50 per hour -- a rate higher than full-time officers were being paid.

Council members voted 5-3 in favor of removing Oller from the post. In his place, Ward 2 Councilman John Rogers was elected by a 4-3 vote. Rogers abstained from the vote.