Amador County – Jackson City Manager Mike Daly, speaking at Tuesday’s Jackson City Council meeting, said the city is “really close” to adoption of a balanced budget for Fiscal Year 2009-10. “We’re getting to a point where staff can present the balanced budget to the council,” said Daly. In a memorandum to the council, Daly said that the City has experienced more than a 25 percent decline in General Fund revenue over the past few years, falling from $4.34 million dollars to $3.17 million. “Conditions worsened beyond expectations and after 3 years of deficit spending, the goal this coming year is a balanced budget,” Daly said. To achieve this, Daly and staff have been negotiating a number of cost saving measures. These include reducing every General Fund Department to the bare minimum for non-personnel operating costs, meeting with employees to discuss options for reductions in personnel costs, reducing the city’s contributions to outside agencies like the Amador County Recreation Agency, reducing retiree health insurance, reducing training budgets, and considering suspension of the City Council’s monthly “salary” of $75. The council formally agreed to this suspension. Councilman Pat Crew said the suspension was more of a “symbolic” gesture. Amador Water Agency Board Member Bill Condrashoff, who represents Jackson’s District 1, attended the meeting to give an update on rate hikes. Condrashoff said: “I would hate to see an already underpaid job go for nothing. Symbolism, that’s your call, but in my opinion, you guys should be going the other way.” Daly said the “gorilla in the closet is the state of California and how (its) budgeting might impact local government further.” In order to adopt the budget, staff recommended that a special City Council meeting be called for Monday, June 29 at 7 p.m. The special meeting was unanimously approved by the City Council. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.