A public hearing will be held this evening in Atlantic, with regard to proposed amendments to the Fiscal Year 2012 budget. City Administrator Doug Harris says the amendment includes a $33,000 overage in the Public Works Dept. resulting from some equipment purchases that were budgeted for last year, under the AMU lease-purchase program, that were not expended until the current fiscal year. While the unspent funds were carried over and available, the appropriation authority does not carry forward.

Another reason for the budget amendment, according to Harris, is that Library Director Carol Stanger has informed the City the facility will be spending an additional $15,000 for equipment. The additional funds for purchases will come from a large donation the library received last year, and were placed in their Trust and Agency (T&A) Fund. Also, the budget for Community and Economic Development is increasing $18,500, for the first installment payment for the replacement of faulty Christmas lights. The amount will be funded from the City, AMU, and a $4,661 loan from the Chamber of Commerce. The funds first passed through the Chamber and they in-turn to the City. The 2nd payment of $19,486 will be made this coming Fall. The City will reimburse the Chamber for their contribution in subsequent years.

And finally, the budget needs to be amended by $348,850 on the Business Type/Enterprises line item, according to Harris, because of overruns resulting from various capital projects, the two largest of which pertain to the construction of the new wastewater treatment plant, and the replacement of a sanitary sewer line on Cedar Street. Those two projects alone make up $303,000 of the amendment.

The public hearing, followed by action on a Resolution amending the F.Y. 2012 Budget, and other matters to come before the Atlantic City Council, will take place at City Hall, beginning the 5:30-p.m.