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<br />TUESDAY, MAY 5, 1987 <br /> <br />Mayor Oakes then declared this meeting adjourned. <br /> <br />--- <br /> <br /> <br />W. H. <br /> <br />lerk of Council <br /> <br />- <br /> <br />ADDENDUM <br /> <br />COMMENTS BY <br />COUNCILMAN WILLIAM C. COLE, JR. <br />MAY 5, 1987 <br /> <br />"THE BUDGET" <br /> <br />Gentlemen, we are engaged in the single, most important responsibility that <br />a Councilman has, i.e., the approval of the Budget for the coming year. <br /> <br />The Budget is a tangible statement of this Councils' policies which are in <br />turn translated into services and programs to be carried out by the <br />Administration. <br /> <br />-- <br /> <br />We are proud of the fact that we are a First-Class City. The people of <br />Martinsville expect everything to be first class. They expect a first-class <br />Police Department, they expect a first-class Fire Department, they expect a <br />continuous supply of electricity and water. They expect sewage to be disposed <br />of in an efficient and modern manner. They expect excellent maintenance of our <br />streets (not average with potholes, but excellent). They expect continued <br />striving for excellence in our education system. They also expect a modern <br />recreation program and, finally, they expect Council to be supportive of those <br />programs and agencies who try to help those who are less fortunate than most of <br />us. <br /> <br />All of these things and more, the people of this City expect of its local <br />government. <br /> <br />Through its various sources of revenue from the Federal government, the <br />State government, local taxes, and profits from the operation of the Water <br />Department, the Sewer Department, and the Electric Department, this City <br />Council, each year, has been authorizing expenditures to provide the services <br />that our people expect. <br /> <br />This authorization has been done in a very conservative manner. The actual <br />results on both the revenue side and the expenditure side, year after year, <br />reflect this conservatism. <br /> <br />Over the years, our accounting system has developed a number of Funds (12 <br />to 15)--each one justified at the time of its inception. Three of these Funds <br />(Electric, Water and Sewer) are enterprise funds, i.e., the rates are set <br />according to Council's policy. In our case, the rates are set to earn a <br />profit. <br />