By Davi Stuhlsatz

 ROSE HILL – At Monday’s  city council meeting, a public hearing was set for Aug. 6 for the purpose of hearing and answering taxpayer objections relating to the amount of ad valorem tax and the use of funds.

“The big news is that we are actually dropping the mill levy by 1.2 mills,” said Kathy Raney, city administrator. “That would mean a drop in ad valorem taxes of about $14 on a $100,000 house.”

Raney said the lower mill levy cap came about from carryover from the hailstorms and from administrative savings.

“We had higher than normal permit fees because of the hailstorms,” she said. “We also run lean in staffing, plus valuation is just a tad more than last year.”

The net expenditure proposed for 2013 is $5.1 million, versus $4.8 in 2012.

The budget includes $100,000 for sewer reserve.

“That doesn’t mean we’ll spend it all,” said Raney. “It allows us to use it if needed.”

Raney said the money would be used to get a public works resource management shop started.

“Right now our public works staff is divided,” she said. “Parks and street employees check in at the old public works shop behind the library. The four water and sewer employees are at the wastewater treatment plant.”

Raney said the project has been on the back burner for a number of years, and that current conditions are “inadequate.”

“In addition to having everyone in a central spot, it would provide a better place to store equipment,” said Raney. “The reserve would get us started. We could get the concrete in, and then the employees could work on the interior over the winter.”

Detailed budget information is available at city hall, 125 W. Rosewood, and at the public hearing there on Aug. 6 at 7 p.m.