Small Town News

Town Council works on budget

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The Camp Verde Town Council has been delving into the nuts and bolts of the budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

The town is required under state law to have a balanced spending plan in place for the 2014-15 fiscal year, which starts Tuesday, July 1.

As of last week, Town -Manager Russ Martin had recommended just over $6.4 million in spending from the town's general fund.

All of the town departments together had requested just over $7.15 million.

Last fiscal year the town spent about $5.37 million, under the amount budgeted.

The proposed budget has been developed with a few guidelines.

According to the town's budget report, the town wants to "continue our commit ment to fiscal responsibility."We will maintain a balanced budget 2014-15 Budget

The Camp Verde Town Council has been looking into the budget for the next fiscal year. The proposed spending plan must be in place by the end of the current fiscal year to the extent possible without eliminating services," the report read.

Other priorities include a "strong commit ment to citizen satisfaction," along with working with the Yavapai-Apache Nation and local businesses to "develop and main tain a sustainable and healthy economy."

The town also wants to keep working with Arizona StateParks to ensure that Fort Verde State Historic Park remains open.

The 19th century military post, which has been operated by the state since the 1970s, faced a potential shutdown a few years ago after the state legislature made sweeping cuts to Arizona State Parks' budget. Camp Verde was the first town to step up to the table to try and broker an agreement that would keep the fort open.

Working with Yavapai County and an army of volunteers, the fort stayed open, albeit with reduced staff and fewer days open.

"Fort Verde is possibly going to seven days a week," said Steve Ayers, Camp Verde economic development director.

Ayers said he's also planning for ways to bring attention to Camp Verde in 2015, the town's 150th anniversary.

While the town didn't incorporate until 1986, it has been a community for far longer than that."I think we need to have some consid erations as to how we are going to market that," Ayers said.

According to a report from the town manager's office, goals for the next year include developing the use of greener tech nology on town property, including solar power.

Other goals include completion of the new Camp Verde Town Library, a long time goal that is becoming a reality Work will also continue to finalize plans for the State Route 260 corridor now that the major regional highway is being expanded to four lanes in the Arizona Department of Transportation's five-year plan.

When it comes to public works projects, the town hopes to hire a consultant for a look at the future of the tri-intersection at Finnie Flat Road, Montezuma Castle Highway and Main

Street, as well as completion of the sidewalk project on Finnie Flat Road.

The town also hopes to work on stormwater drainage improvements in areas of town that experience problems when there is a lot of rain.

The council will continue to work on the budget process leading up to the new fiscal year.

Mark Lineberger can be reached at 567-3341 or email CVEDitor@larsonnewspapers.com



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