The Orange City Council adopted the city’s budget for next fiscal year during its meeting Tuesday. The tax rate was also approved by the council.
The $54.78 million budget was approved unanimously. The council approved unanimously the tax rate for next fiscal year of $0.80590 per $100 valuation. The tax rate is the same as this year’s tax rate.
The City Council tabled any action on ordinances dealing with utility service rates and garbage collection fees. Attending the meeting were Terry Woodson and Michael Johnson with Waste Management which provides the trash collection services in Orange.
Woodson spoke about the combination of the Coronavirus and the approach of Tropical Storm Nicholas disrupting Waste Management’s service for the city. Woodson expressed, “The last few weeks have been the most trying in my career. The whole issue with COVID illnesses for our employees plus the labor shortages that we’ve also been experiencing, and then even though it was a tiny storm we all had to prepare like it was a big storm it just made for the perfect storm.”
City Manager Mike Kunst sought feedback from the council concerning the closure of the railroad crossing at Barkins and 15th Street last month. Public Works Director Jim Wolf indicated he is waiting to hear back from the Union Pacific Railroad about switching that closure for the closing of a different railroad crossing in Orange. “They have indicated that we’re contractually bound to close what we said we’re going to close,” Wolf stated. No action was taken by the City Council, but Kunst promised the staff will continue to work to find other alternatives to the permanent closing of the crossing at Barkins.
Residents of the City of Orange who received damage from Hurricane Laura last year will have additional time to restore their properties. The City Council approved a 90-day extension to allow citizens to use recreational vehicles or travel trailers on their properties if their residence was damaged by the storm. Also approved was waiving of any building permit fees related to repairs for damage from Laura for the next 90 days.
Three positions for members on the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission were up for reappointment by the council. The reappointments of Gordon Worlow and Weldon Smith were denied while the position of George Mortimer was approved for another term.
A Collective Bargaining Agreement between the City of Orange and the International Association of Firefighters Local #1432 representing the Orange Firefighters was approved by the council. Kunst said the biggest change in this agreement is it will be for three years instead of the normal one year. Both sides were in agreement the three years will allow them time to concentrate on other more important things than renewal of a contract.
The firefighters will get a raise and will have increases for education and certificate pay. Kunst is hopeful an agreement with the Orange Municipal Police Association could be reached in the near future.
The City Council conducted the scheduled evaluation of Kunst during a closed executive session. No action was taken afterwards, so Kunst remains the City Manager.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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