Money, money, money: that single topic carried most of the varying discussions at Walden’s February monthly meeting.
Amidst the Signal Mountain Town Library’s financial request, discrepancies over Bachman Community Center’s worth, and the town’s move to increase its purchasing power was an underlying worry that there isn’t enough money to go around.
“I am opposed to the expansion to any of the expenses of the city,” resident Tom Matthews said. “[The state is] looking at cutting Hall taxes back now.”
Mayor Peter Hetzler noted that concern is not without warrant.
“They’ll cut it,” he said. “I don’t think we’re going to get clobbered. We’re in pretty good shape. We probably could hold out for several years if we had to.”
Town Recorder Fern Lockhart said the town typically receives around $400,000 from the Hall tax, which is imposed on individuals and other entities receiving interest from bonds and notes and dividends from stock.
“For the past six years we’ve not counted on the Hall tax for a big portion of our working budget, because every year they say they’re going to cut it,” she said. “You’re correct in saying that’s probably our surplus every year because we did not use all of it.”
Not budgeting that revenue has added up to about a $3 million surplus.
Lockhart noted that even if the tax is cut, it will be from this point forward. Walden is just now receiving Hall tax collected in 2009, as is typical, according to her.
PURCHASING POWER
The town increased the amount it can spend without calling for bids on a project from $4,000 to $10,000. This is in line with the new state allowance, which was changed in 1999. The original amount had been set in 1983.
“A lot of times in emergency situations $4,000 becomes very difficult [to work with],” Hetzler said. “It takes weeks of advertising [to bid out a project].”
Save for the absent Vice Mayor Elizabeth Akins, the measure passed unanimously.
LIBRARY REQUEST
Signal Mountain Town Library representatives asked that Walden pay the $60 non-resident joining fee for anyone in its jurisdiction who wants to have use of the mountain’s only library.
“Currently the town of Walden has 75 families who are members of the library,” said library board president Lew Waddey. “There are more who want to be members but for whatever reason are not willing to pay the $60. Obviously it would expand our member base, but the other thing is it would also make us more inclusive within the mountain community for people to be able to join the library.”
Lockhart pointed out that if all the families living within the town wanted to join, that would cost $50,000 a year.
Officials asked that the request be put in writing and made formally once budget talks begin in May or June.
“We are willing to look at nearly anything,” Hetzler said. “It would be good if you could maybe put your ideas in a form and give it to Fern so it will be in front of us – some of the thoughts you have and what that will be doing for the citizens of Walden.”