Wednesday, October 17, 2001
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Wednesday, October 17, 2001 |
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Cuts unveiled for PTC budget shortfalls; council also to consider tennis center, architecture review By JOHN
MUNFORD
With the anticipation that a dwindling economy could affect Peachtree City's sales tax revenues, city officials have prepared a list of further budget cuts for the coming fiscal year. The planned cuts will be presented to the City Council at its regular meeting Thursday night. Council will also consider three contracts totalling $2.507 million for construction of the tennis center expansion and assuming the architectural review of subdivisions developed by Pathway Communities, which has indicated it will no longer do so by Nov. 1. City staff have projected that the maximum revenue shortfall in the budget due to the slowing economy would be approximately $1.46 million. None of the proposed measures involve cutting any personnel or level of service. The plan developed includes use of the city's cash reserves along with delays in facilities planned by the city. Staff's recommendation falls along several different levels, with certain cuts indicated if there is a 5 percent, 10 percent, 15 percent or 20 percent shortfall in revenues. Included in the possible cuts are $17,500 budgeted for a park at the former Leach Fire Station property in memory of former fire chief Gerald Reed, a delay in the expansion of the Gathering Place and another $128,000 in cuts from the operating budget. The operating budget cuts are itemized for council so staff could explain why they weren't cut from the last round of budget trimming, which was done to shrink the property tax increase. The tennis center expansion would add six covered courts, a central clubhouse building and an overflow parking area. The covered courts allow the city to host major tennis tournaments such as NCAA competition; the clubhouse would be used to house the tennis center's staff, many of whom are located in a rented office facility nearby. Also included in the expansion is a landscaped berm to screen the project from the adjacent Planterra Ridge subdivision. Group VI was chosen to complete the expansion project for $2.235 million. The other two contracts are with Flat Creek, Inc. for $127,000 to build the tennis courts and $145,000 with Foley Design Associates for design work on the project. City staff have recommended that the city assume architectural review in Pathway Communities subdivisions, but no extra staff members are recommended immediately. City Attorney Rick Lindsey recommends that the city adopt those and other restrictions in the deed covenants that Pathway currently enforces. The restrictions could be adopted as ordinances, he suggested.
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