Reserve will help fund CIP

By Staff
Leada Gore, Hartselle Enquirer
Hartselle is tapping its reserves to fund a portion of its capital improvement projects.
The City Council approved $456,912 for purchases and improvement work, with projects ranging from increasing security at City Hall to purchasing a dump truck for the public works department. A portion of the expense will come from the city's general fund. Other funding will come from separate accounts, such as the city's capital improvement and replacement funds, as well as proceeds from the 1998 road bond issue.
The city has maintained some $5 million in reserves in its general fund. Past councils have hesitated before tapping the reserves and one current council member, Mark Mizell, voted against the CIP plan because of its funding sources.
Some $237,313 of the projects will be funded through the city's reserves, though officials don't know the exact amount that will be used. The city will also be using higher-than-expected tax returns and money left over from last year to fund the plan.
The largest portion of the plan involves Department of Development projects and most of the money will be used as matching funds for state and federal grants. Among those projects are:
Other approved items include: