SYLACAUGA, Ala – In a called meeting on Friday, the Sylacauga City Council adopted a Fiscal Year 2022 budget with general fund revenues of $17,455,081 and planned expenditures of $17,416,974.
Approval of the operating budget through Sept. 30, 2022, gave the Mayor authority to execute associated contracts on behalf of the City.
The top five sources of revenue in the new budget are a projected $9.29 million in sales and use taxes, $1.72 million in business license fees, a $2.63 million appropriation from the Utilities Board, $956,199 in garbage fees, and $732,409 in real estate ad valorem taxes.
Contracts for most agencies supported by the City were level-funded with the exceptions of the South Talladega County ARC, which will receive a slight increase to make up for funding cuts from other sources; the Isabel Anderson Comer Museum and Arts Center, which will receive additional funding to help support staffing needs; and the Industrial Development Board and the Commercial Development Authority, each of which will receive small increases to support growth initiatives. City funding for the Talladega County Drug and Violent Crime Task Force was increased to $82,940 at the agency’s request and the urging of District Attorney Steve Giddens.
In a further effort to retain current employees and recruit new employees to fill vacancies in an increasingly competitive jobs market, the Council authorized a five-percent pay adjustment for full-time city employees, other than police department employees already covered by a new public safety-police pay plan approved in April. Additionally, a one-time $2,500 payment to be subsidized by funding from the American Rescue Plan Act was authorized for all current full-time street, shop, animal shelter, and custodial employees, and a phased sign-on bonus of $1,500 was authorized for new full-time employees in those areas, with departure of any new employee within three years requiring repayment of the incentive.
The Council also approved requests from Police Chief Kelley Johnson to dispose of 42 handguns, 11 shotguns, and related ammunition using proceeds to fund the purchase of new weapons and ammunition.
