Books closed on 2008-9 budget, which ended 5.4% lower than it started

Officer Scott Russell (right) gets help from his kids as Mayor Woods swears him in. More photos below.

Davidson’s Town Board on Tuesday approved a $314,600 budget increase for this year that adds proceeds from a loan to buy two properties on Beaty Street.

The board also approved an adjustment that closes the books on last year’s budget (for the year that ended June 30, 2009) before it goes to the town’s auditors. The latter amendment adds $139,795 for a 60-month lease/purchase contract for five photocopiers.

The board also adjusted the 2008-09 budget for roadwork and affordable housing. Those amendments, plus two earlier ones, cut a total of $417,000 from the spending plan the Town Board adopted in June 2008. Altogether, reductions during the year trimmed 5.4 percent from the $7.8 million spending plan the town adopted in June 2008.

The town also spent $1 million less on capital improvement projects in 2008-9 than originally projected. The original budget included $1 million in anticipated loan proceeds for a new east Davidson fire station – a project that remains in the planning stages. And it included $150,000 for the roundabout at Davidson-Concord and East Rocky River roads. The state DOT ended up funding that project with federal stimulus money.

LAND PURCHASE

The current year budget amendment approved Tuesday reflects the receipt of $314,600 loan proceeds to buy property on Beaty Street. At its Aug. 11 meeting, the Town Board approved loan terms so the town could buy two parcels next to a larger tract it owns off Beaty Street.

At Tuesday’s meeting, the board endorse a reformatted and updated Planning Ordinance. The document included no substantive changes, but its redesigned format, with new maps, is aimed at making it easier to read and understand, Planning Director Kris Krider said.

Also Tuesday, Mayor John Woods swore in two new police officers: Joseph E. Russell and Philip Geiger. (See photos below.) And Police Chief Jeanne Miller led a ceremony honoring local veterinarian Dick Hay for his work caring for the town’s police dogs over the years and for his recent efforts to help the town obtain state certification of its temporary dog kennel, which holds lost pets.

Both new police officers join the Davidson police department after careers in other fields. Officer Geiger spent 12 years in the professional golf world, managing both Northstone Country Club in Huntersville and Cabarrus Country Club in Concord. (He’s a +2 handicap, the chief noted.) He was valedictorian of his class at Central Piedmont Community College in Huntersville. He’s married to Sheena, a teacher at Davidson Day School. They have a daughter, Kylee.

Officer Joseph “Scott” Russell’s career in law enforcement began after he was laid off from an auto dealer last year. He completed Basic Law Enforcement Training at Caldwell Community College. He had top scores in firearms and driving tests. (He was No. 2 in both his class’s “Top Gun” and driving competitions.) He is married to Chrystal and has two son’s Jahred and Ethan, and two daughters, Olivia and Meaghan.

Votes on the budget amendments, reformatted planning ordinance and other items were 4-0. Commissioner Margo Williams was absent. The board also:

• Declared October at “Environmental Awareness Month.”
• Approved writing off $3,057.58 in unpaid taxes from 1999 as “uncollectable.”
• Approved a fiscal 2008-9 tax settlement from Mecklenburg County.
• Mayor John Woods also announced the town will fly flags on Main Street on Friday “in commemoration of the lost lives of 9-11-01 and in honor of the very brave public service heroes who assisted them on that day.”

DOCUMENTS

Spreadsheet of 2008-9 budget amendments (PDF)

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