The Fayetteville City Council Thursday is set to hear the first reading of a budget amendment that will trim approximately $263,000 from the 2009 general fund budget due to a decrease in local options sales tax (LOST) revenues.

The city has seen a decrease in LOST revenues of 8.09 percent since last year, said Assistant Finance Director Ellen Walls. That decrease in revenue is expected to total $352,000.

And though several miscellaneous funding categories have generated significant revenue over what had been budgeted, several of the revenue categories, such as investment income, are down, resulting in a projected general fund shortfall of $263,211.

Budget categories from a variety of departments are expected to see cuts intended to offset the decrease in revenue.

The budget amendment will also include an adjustment to the water and sewer fund, expected to see a $1.256 million decrease in revenue, the bulk of which is in the wastewater budget.

Walls said the state-mandated reduction in water use has resulted locally in a 20 percent reduction in water use. That reduction shows up in wastewater revenues, she said.

But beyond that, Walls said, the sewer proportionate fees paid when builders connect to the city sewer system has decreased dramatically. What was a revenue source of $500,000 before the recession is now approximately $9,000, she said.

The council will also hear the first reading of of a soliciting ordinance.

The ordinance prohibits sidewalk vendor sales and allows door-to-door sales on Mondays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Sunday sales are prohibited. The ordinance also prohibits solicitations on private property where soliciting is not welcomed.

If approved, the city will require a $75 registration fee for solicitation or peddler activities and background checks.

Also at the meeting, the council is expected to adopt a resolution renaming the portion of Lee Street between Lanier and Stonewall as Jack C. Dettmering Way in honor of the former Fayetteville mayor who served from 1968-1988. A ceremony will be held at the location March 28 at 10 a.m.

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