Board of Aldermen Page 7
January 24, 2017
dwellings as opposed to large complexes, that is essentially funded through tax dollars so | don’t believe that
was set-up with all of the technical requirements of a special revenue account but we do refer to it and it’s
somewhat structured as an enterprise fund but at this point it is sort of a hybrid situation.
President McCarthy
Part of the question is whether or not it qualifies as a special revenue fund, was legislation passed that tried to
establish it as one at some point.
Attorney Bolton
My guess is no but | don’t know that for sure.
Alderman Deane
If we go back in time and look at the operation and maintenance along with the collections at solid waste, there
was a point in time when a supplemental appropriation out of the tax base was not required and that happened
when the closure requirements from the state along with permitting and landfill expansion were brought in to
extend the life of our solid waste disposal area down at Four Hills. There was a point in time when there was a
generous amount of money that was spent on plenty of other things outside of the landfill. Now what we are
required to do is provide a $4+ million supplemental appropriation to cover those costs and |’m pretty much
convinced that if you took the collection cost out of that budget and let it sit alone the operations and
maintenance of that landfill would be paid for and then some with the tipping revenue that is brought in on a
yearly basis. It makes me wonder since they were both established as enterprise funds and whereas the solid
waste department was at one time was solvent, it was flushed with cash because it used to be used for other
purposes and in fact, Mayor Donchess probably remembers when he was Mayor that some of that money was
used for reducing the tax rate and other things. | was wondering if that had, in fact, been done and while you
are out searching for this piece of special revenue account legislation associated with wastewater | was
wondering if we could take a gander and see if there is one for solid waste as well. If they don’t want to do that
and honor my request then that’s fine too.
Attorney Bolton
It will be done.
Alderman Deane
Is Attorney Clarke going to send out a retraction of what she sent to former Alderman Teeboom?
Attorney Bolton
Nothing that Attorney Clarke said was wrong.
Alderman Deane
I’m not implying that.
Attorney Bolton
She doesn’t have to retract it. It’s accurate.
Alderman Deane
So | take your answer is no.
