Red Bank Finance Director Kristina Pickel presented her first report to the commissioners at the Tuesday night meeting. She said that revenue is up $58,000 in August 2024 compared to August 2023. But so are expenditures.
Overall, she said that expenses are up in the general fund by $253,000 this year. Of that amount, $98,000 is due to the creation of the city’s new Community Development department. The Administration and the Finance department is up by $48,000 because of the contract Red Bank had with Robert Half employment agency to provide accounting services after John Alexander left and before the city hired Ms. Pickel.
Public Works expenditures are up $77,000 attributed to the restructuring of Public Works that has been consolidated under government buildings.
In other funds she said through August 2024, there is a deficit of $937,640. Ms. Pickel said that cities have peaks and valleys, and currently Red Bank is in a valley. That should change when property taxes begin to be paid in October, so for the next few months, revenue for the city will be low.
City Manager Martin Granum and City Attorney Arnold Stulce did a presentation about the best procedures for public comment in municipal meetings. Red Bank provides citizens more opportunities to address the commissioner than most cities, by allowing comments for each item on the agenda and then again during a public comment period at the end of the meeting for items not on the agenda.
The best practices include that the time for citizens’ comments should be structured. It is a time for citizens to express their thoughts and concerns, not to have a discussion. And the comments should be addressed to the council as a whole, not directed to an individual and should have a set time limit. This reduces the liability to the city said Attorney Stulce. Not exchanging comments is in the best interest of the city, he said. Commissioner Pete Phillips said that people speaking to the commissioners without getting a response seems like the commissioners just don’t care. But Mayor Hollie Berry makes it a point to thank the speaker and that acknowledges that the person has been heard, he said.
Red Bank has started a trial program for giving free library cards to a limited number of residents. It is made possible from donations from three sponsors, HGH Construction, Rise Partners and River City Physical Therapy. In three days’ time, all 100 of the available cards were given out, first come first serve and there is now a waiting list. Once the cards are scanned at the library, the city will get the information and know how much they are being used.
The city’s public art advisory board of 10 had one vacancy that was filled Tuesday night, with new member Taylor Kinser.
Public Works Director Greg Tate requested and received funding to buy a replacement cover for the Red Bank Community Pool in the amount of $18,700. It is needed to protect the city’s investment in the swimming pool which he estimated to be over $200,000 in maintenance since 2015.
A tent will be put up at the location of the old Red Bank Middle School for another public meeting that will be held on site, rain or shine, this coming Saturday from noon until 2 p.m. This will be another chance for citizens to participate in the decision of how to use the property. Flyers and banners will be made available this week to advertise the meeting.
City Manager Granum made the suggestion for canceling the meeting that falls on Nov. 5, the election day. There was a consensus of the board to vote on a resolution for this cancellation at the Oct. 1 commission meeting.