BERLIN, Ala. – The Berlin Town Council approved the town’s 2020 fiscal year budget at Monday evening’s meeting. According to Mayor Patrick Bates, all revenue estimates represent an amount at least 10% below 2019’s budget, while expenses may be estimated slightly higher. These intentional under-and over-estimations were “just to be safe,” according to Bates.
The budget includes estimated revenues of $195,500 plus a carryover of $62,521.74 from 2019 for a conservative total of $258,021.74. That amount will fund an estimated $256,000 in expenses, including $60,000 in road paving and $10,000 in road patching, along with $48,000 for bond payments and $30,000 for the purchase and setup of a temporary portable town hall building that should leave the town an anticipated $2,021.74 surplus on Sept. 30, 2020.
The council also discussed preliminary plans presented by St. John and Associates for a municipal complex to be located on adjacent land west and northwest of the current Berlin Community Center, that will include:
- paved parking for 184 cars
- farmers’ market fronting on Highway 278 with another 100 gravel parking spaces
- 100-seat community storm shelter
- playground, basketball court and covered pavilions
- senior center to accommodate up to 100 people
- temporary and permanent town hall building sites
The council took no action on the plan but did allot up to $1,000 for site testing to prepare for the temporary town hall, which Bates hopes to have in place before the census on April 1, 2020.
The Berlin Town Council meets on the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Berlin Community Center. The public is invited to attend.
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