The Batesville City Council approved the budget for 2018 at Monday’s meeting.
The projected revenue for 2018 is $7,856,740. The projected expenditures are $7,773,539. That leaves revenue over expenditures at $83,201.
When this year’s budget (2017) was passed it projected revenues at $7.5 million and expenditures at $7.3 million. That represents a year-over-year increase of about 6.5 percent
Highlights of the budget include:
- Income from the community center/aquatics park is projected at $1.075 million;
- Garbage collections are estimated at $1.405 million;
- Sanitation expenses are projected to be $1.115 million;
- The police department expense budget is $1.3 million with $898,500 going to salaries;
- The fire department’s expense budget is $845,727 with $501,981 for salaries;
- The street department’s anticipated expenses are $1.013 million;
- Among donations and grants in the city’s budget are $20,000 for Main Street Batesville, $10,000 for the Independence County Regional Museum, and $20,000 to the county library to build a stairwell at the Barnett Building that will serve as a fire escape for the third floor, also known as The Loft. The stairwell is nearing completion now.
Batesville Police Chief Alan Cockrill also updated the council on the officer-involved shooting that took place Saturday night on Highway 167.
Cockrill said the prosecuting attorney has cleared the two officers involved in the incident, who were wearing body cameras. They will remain on paid administrative leave until the Arkansas State Police interviews them. Cockrill said the state police waits 48 hours after an incident to talk to the officers.
Andrew Deshawn Hatley is still hospitalized in critical condition, the police chief said. He will be held on $100,000 bond. Hatley reportedly resisted arrest, tried to run away, and then pointed a gun at the two officers.
Cockrill said with these two officers on leave and Officer Michael Dickinson on medical leave recovering from being shot in a November incident, his department is short-handed, but he and others are filling in. He said the Independence County Sheriff’s Department is also helping out.
Reported by Bob Qualls
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