Budget, Eminent Domain on Monday's City Council Agenda

The City of Smyrna’s Finance Department will present a preliminary 2013 budget at Monday’s Smyrna City Council meeting. The $73,372,785 budget breaks down to $38,536,854 for the general fund, $12,931,030 for special revenues and $21,904,785 for the water and sewer fund.

The budget is balanced without tax increases, furlough days, layoffs, use of reserve funds or cuts to city services, said Ward 3 Council Representative Teri Anulewicz who chairs the city’s finance committee. 

"It really will be similar to last year, which is a blessing and a curse in some ways," she said. "It’s a blessing because we haven’t had to do anything drastic, but a curse because things aren’t improving in the economy overall."

A representative from the Finance Department will present the preliminary budget at the meeting Monday and then citizens will have the opportunity to comment during a public hearing.

What do you have to say about the preliminary budget? Will you speak at tonight's hearing? Tell us in the comments.

In other City Council news, eminent domain is back on the agenda. to acquire the remaining Concord Road lots needed before SPLOST improvements can begin along the corridor by a 5-2 vote, with Council Representatives Ron Fennel, Ward 7, and Susan Wilkinson, Ward 5, casting the dissenting votes.

At tonight’s meeting Council will vote whether to authorize a resolution and declaration of taking for 955 Concord Road. , which is home to the business Travel Corner Incorporated, was the only one the city had left to acquire on the north side of Concord Road.

The Concord Road SPLOST improvements were paid for by the 2005 2011 SPLOST and include $3,335,000 for the Concord Road Trail/Streetscape project that will provide a multi-use trail on the north side of the road between Atlanta Road and South Cobb Drive. Of the 2011 SPLOST, $5,280,000 has been dedicated to the widening of the road plus the addition of a turn lane and medians. 

Ward 4 Council Representative Charles “Corkey” Welch told Smyrna-Vinings Patch in February that construction could begin as early as September 2012. 

The meeting begins tonight at 7:30 p.m. and will also be broadcast on Charter Communications Public Access Channel 19. See the TV23 section atwww.cobbcounty.org for a complete rebroadcast schedule.