Senoia may soon have a new parks and recreation department if the 2006 budget gets the nod of the Senoia City Council.

During Monday night’s meeting, City Administrator Richard Ferry outlined next year’s budget. The total budget is up just over $300,000 from last year, with the general fund budget at $1.8 million. The budget includes no tax hike and Ferry said there’s a good reason the budget is on the increase.

“We’re trying to make sure that services are no longer overlooked,” he said.

As part of this year’s budget, Ferry wants to see a parks and recreation department established. He advocates staring the department slowly and only hiring one person for eight hours a week. The approximate $5,000 a year in additional payroll would come from the city’s revenues of renting out the Freeman Sasser building in the park.

“I’m all for that, but eight hours a week just doesn’t seem a whole lot,” said City Councilman Larry Owens.

After the person gets hired and starts the job, Ferry said the city could evaluate the position and determine if more hours were necessary. Ferry’s idea for job responsibilities for the new position include monitoring activities at the city’s park on Seavy Street, along with making sure the Sasser building remained clean before and after rentals.

Another responsibility for the position would include looking for grants, although not actually writing grants.

“It would take a lot more money to hire a grant writer,” he said.

The City Council will consider a final version of the budget December 5. Copies of the budget are available at City Hall.

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