Linden tables Main Street Program application, budget

By Bobby Horn Jr.
news@casscountynow.com
LINDEN—An effort to move forward with the city’s Texas Main Street application stalled last week, when a disagreement over funding arose.
The City Council had scheduled a vote May 9 on a resolution, application and budget that would be submitted to the Texas Historical Commission.
Prior to the vote, Alderman Ruth Halleck stepped away from the council table and spoke as a citizen. She said that the city would benefit from participation in the Main Street program and encouraged citizen participation in the program.
According to Resolution 03-16, which was placed before council, the city would agree to “commit to a $50,000 annual budget including both salary and initial budget for a new Main Street Manager.” In presenting the resolution, City Administration Bob Swisher explained the need for the budget. “We need $50,000 to get in the game.” According
to the proposed resolution, ”To keep the city budget balanced the city will regretfully no longer be able to pay 1/3rd of the Linden Economic Development Corporation’s salaries.” The resolution went on to read that the city planned to establish an emergency services district (ESD) to fund the Linden Fire Department, and that if the district is approved by voters, the city would cease to fund the fire department.
In the event that voters rejected the ESD, the city would “still have to count on other costs and growth in tax revenue to make up the remaining $20,000.”
The idea of losing city funds did not strike the LEDC well. Swisher said that the plan was not a vote against the LEDC. “My job, as city administrator, is to figure out how the heck we are going to pay for this thing. I can’t pay (LEDC) salaries and fund Main Street.”
At this point Larry Wells, 1st Vice President for LEDC 4A and 4B, said they felt that they were being blindsided by the announcement that they would lose funding in the next fiscal year. “The LEDC is behind the Main Street Program and we will participate financially,” he said. “We didn’t understand how much we would fully participate financially.”
He said that the LEDC had not had time to discuss where to make cuts in staff and programs. He asked for two weeks for the LEDC to bring back recommendations. Wells did not say why they needed two weeks to come up with a proposal.
While the LEDC can submit a proposed budget to the city, it is the council that has final say over the budget.
Alderman Sue Lazara told Wells the EDC had until Oct. 1 to decide on what changes they would make and that the loss of salary assistance would affect next year’s budget and not this year’s budget.
“It’s really a matter of the LEDC paying its own way,” she added.
Alderman Kenny Hamilton made a motion that the council table the item for two weeks.
This is where the council changed its regular procedure for motions. Typically once a motion is made Mayor Clarence Burns will ask for a second. If seconded then he opens the item for discussion among council. Such was not the case May 9.
After Hamilton made the motion, Burns began to invite comments, both from council and from the floor. Joe B. Lovelace, representing the Linden Heritage Foundation, said that he hoped to see some cooperation between the city and the LEDC.
“I think everyone’s one board with the Main Street Program but nobody wants to pay for it,” Swisher chimed in. “We need to come of this all winners.”
Lazara argued that postponing the vote would only hurt the city’s chances. She noted that when the city sent in the letter of intent to the historical commission on May 13, they were not able to include a required map. With a July 29 deadline looming, she said, there was no time to waste in submitting the application. “The timing is very urgent,” she added.
Swisher said that he did not think a two-week delay would hurt the city’s application process.
Alderman Chuck Evans seconded Hamilton’s motion. Hamilton and Evans voted for the motion. Lazara and Halleck voted against the motion. This put the tie-breaking vote in Burns’ hands. “I will vote with the ‘ayes’ to table this for two weeks from tonight,” he said. At the time of the vote Alderman Mike Berry was at the L-K CISD Administration Building, receiving the district’s Hometown Hero Award.
Council said they would reconvene in a special meeting on May 23 to reconsider the issue.