City’s proposed budget includes creation of Cahaba River Park

As Mountain Brook plans its budget for the 2014 fiscal year, the city government could be looking at a surplus. The finance committee met with the mayor and City Council on Aug. 27 to review the proposed budget of more than $32 million. Based on current projections of revenue and expenditures, the city anticipates a surplus of more than $475,000. 

A significant portion of the planned budget is taken up by various building and improvement projects, including $984,000 for street paving and about $450,000 for the Public Works Department to build sidewalks, pedestrian bridges, street crossing signals and other road improvements. More than $850,000 has been allocated for sidewalks at Crestline and Mountain Brook Elementary Schools as part of the national Safe Routes to Schools project.

The Parks and Recreation department will receive more than $475,000 to develop Cahaba River Park and pay for other building expenses such as roofing the restroom entrance at Overton Park and studying lighting at athletic fields. Some of this money will also go toward a new laborer position that will be added because of the creation of Cahaba River Park.

Mountain Brook will also dispense substantial money for upgrades to its emergency services. The fire department will receive about $100,000 to purchase new technology and two ambulance stretchers, as well as renovate bathrooms at Station No. 2 and No. 3. The police department’s funds will go toward hiring a new patrol officer and financing several different projects. These include $44,500 for furniture purchases, $42,600 for detention records storage, $34,000 for traffic studies on U.S. 280 and $28,000 for cameras, software and other technology.

The proposed budget will foot the bill for increases in employee pension and insurance costs as well, which is estimated to cost around $360,000. Other expenditures include new furniture for the Municipal Complex, adding six new positions at Emmet O’Neal Library and antenna-boosters at Mountain Brook Junior High and Cherokee Bend Elementary to improve phone communications. The city council also plans to spend $30,000 for public Wi-Fi access in several locations and $20,000 on a survey of resident satisfaction with city services.

The 2014 budget is still being studied and revised by the finance committee and department heads. Its final version could be approved during the Sept. 23 Council meeting and enacted on Oct. 1 at the beginning of the fiscal year.