02 Council Min 08-23-04 Spec. - Laserfiche WebLink

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Special Meeting of the City Council August 23, 2004 Page 7 adjustment. He said the recalculation for the Lamar County Ambulance contract was a gain of $6,274.00. He said the net fees for EMS collections were increased by $50,000.00. He said that made a net decrease in the General Revenue of $30,661.00. He called the Council’s attention to a sheet containing all the changes the Council had made to the budget. Councilman Wilson said the Council had only lowered the budget by $47,000.00. Mr. Anderson agreed. Mr. Anderson said he budgeted the disputed franchise fees at the worse case scenario, so that if the City negotiated that and gained on it, it would be an addition to the revenue. Councilman Bell asked where the sales tax that is collected on cell phone bills going and wondered if the City of Paris was getting any of this. City Attorney Schenk said the Texas Legislature had locked the Franchise fees into a flat rate, so even when the sales tax increases, it doesn’t mean that the City will get that increase. Councilman Bell said he wanted to wait until the end of the budget to discuss health and retirement benefits. Mr. Anderson said the revenue in this budget exceeds expenditures by $205,000.00, which represents a 1% cushion. He reminded the Council that the $150,000.00 Continency Fund was already included on the expense side. On a question from the Council, Anthony Bethel, Director of the Health Department, said the Health Department is getting approximately $70,000.00 revenue from fees. He stated that they see very few medicare/medicaid patients. On the Council budget, Councilman Wilson felt that some of the charitable organizations should be supported at some level, because they benefit the City. Councilman Bell reminded them that Children’s Advocacy Center directly