Kendra Bolling

Sales tax collections for the first four months of FY2009 are higher overall than Brundidge City Manager Britt Thomas expected.

“With (the economy) we’re in, I was kind of surprised,” Thomas said.

The city of Brundidge collected $40,796.43 for Oct. 2008’s numbers, compared to $29,498.38 for the same month in 2007.

While October’s was significantly higher than the previous year, November’s was only slightly higher with the city collecting $38,061.02 compared to 2007’s $34,453.11, and December saw a slight decline in 2008 with $29,736.53, which was slightly off the Dec. 2007 collection of $30,628.12.

January 2009 brought in $46,548.33 compared to the $34,177.19 from January 2008.

Thomas said he thinks these numbers are a positive start.

“Generally when the national economy soars, we never soar. When the economy is down, we stay on an even kill,” Thomas said.

Thomas presented the council with a financial statement review for the first quarter of FY2009.

For the most part, the city is within budget for this time of year, as Thomas said that for the most part the city should be around 25 percent of the budget for this time of year.

Thomas said a good portion of the general fund revenues comes from local taxes such as ad valorem and cigarette taxes.

Currently, the general fund revenues are at $224,577, which is about 21 percent of the actual budget.

According to Thomas, businesses pay ad velorem taxes by Jan. 31, and will make up the difference for the next quarter.

The state and county revenues were up from $6,115 last year to $30,295 this year. Thomas said the police department purchased a new patrol car.

The council voted to approve a resolution to allow the Alabama Department of Transportation to resurface Main Street. Council member Cynthia Pearson suggested that some of the parking spaces on Oak Street, which are in a limited sight distance be taken up as they were previously.

Pearson also said an area between City Hall and the pet store had similar problems.

A public hearing will be held March 3 at 4 p.m. so the council can hear a rezoning request for the Dean Baker Property.

The property is located at 312 S. Main Street, and was formerly a duplex housing facility, but Baker’s family lived in it for a single-family residence, although it is actually in a business zone.

Thomas said the house had been grandfathered in as a residential home, although it was in a business zone.

However, since the property has been vacant for more than a year, it has returned to a business-zoned property, and will have to be approved before it can become a residential property again.

In other business, the volunteer fire department will allow the ambulance service to utilize its day meeting room and the ambulance service has agreed to pay a small amount to assist with utilities.

The council voted to accept a donation of a property on Church Street valued at $75,000.