Staff Writer

A 2.5 percent cost-of-living raise for city of Troy employees was included in the $28.4 million budget approved by the Troy City Council Tuesday night.

"We worked hard to reach that this year," Council President John Witherington said of getting that raise in the budget.

The city’s coffers are taking a significant hit because of money being taken away from the Southeast Alabama Gas District and increases in the cost of electricity, even at a wholesale price.

Mayor Jimmy Lunsford said the city could be without between $800,000 and $1 million because of those losses.

The gas district losses alone will be responsible for between $400,000 and $450,000.

"Four hundred and fifty thousand dollars doesn’t sound like a lot in a $28 million budget, but it is," Witherington said.

Higher projections income were made based on final amounts received in 1999-2000. Sales tax received was $3.6 million and $3.7 million was projected. Electric revenue received as $17.4 million and $17.5 million has been projected.

More than $11.4 million has been allotted for the general fund budget and $17 million for utilities. The budget also included more than $2.1 million for capital expenditures.

Council member Charles Meeks pointed out the city’s budget has increased an estimated $1 million each year. He said the 1975 budget was about $3 million.

Last year, the budget was about $26 million.

In other business, the council:

· Heard from residents of Second Avenue regarding problems with speeding in their neighborhood.

"It’s a speedway over to George Wallace Drive," said Nell Hanson, who has lived on Second Avenue for 42 years.

"I don’t know what the answer is," Hanson said. "It’s not safe to go out in your yard.

"I want to feel safe on Second Avenue."

Council member Jason Reeves, who represents that district, said the city will work to find a solution to the problem.

"We’re going to solve the problem," Reeves said.

Witherington said the council will "work to accommodate" the residents’ problem.

"You have our attention and we’re going to focus like a laser beam on the problem," Witherington said.

He said finding a way to better enforce the problem areas throughout the city will be one of the things on which the city will focus.

"There’s nothing that will get your attention more than being stopped by the police."

Reeves said he wants drivers to understand "they can’t drive the streets of Troy any way they want to."

· Proclaimed Nov.17-23 Farm-City Week in Troy.

· Passed a resolution supporting Amendment 1.

· Voted to sell a surplus boom truck to the city of Brundidge. The truck was appraised at $7,000.