Hiram Council Considering FY2013 Budget

Hiram councilmen during their regular session Tuesday focused primarily on the city’s proposed fiscal year 2013 budget that could be approved by the end of the month.

City Manager Robbie Rokovitz presented council members with a preliminary budget draft, which he explained was a work in progress and mostly to help council members prepare for a budget work session next week. The council likely will approve a final budget later this month.

Next week’s work session is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 10, at 6 p.m. in the Hiram Community Center/Council Chambers and will be followed by a public hearing on the proposed budget.

The public starting today will be able to obtain a copy of the FY2013 draft budget at Hiram City Hall.

Following the budget discussion, Rokovitz presented background on an agenda item regarding the 2012 tax digest and five-year history of levy Information.

Rokovitz explained Tuesday that in setting the city’s millage for the purpose of establishing a 5-year history, since the city of Hiram does not have a millage rate, officials use a formula to establish a baseline rate, which the city then rolls back to zero. The proposed current rate of 2.479 mills would not be imposed, but rather is expected to be rolled back to maintain zero property taxes. But the calculated rate is used to make a millage rate history available to public record, Rokovitz said, and also to provide council members with background on how the rate is calculated.

The tax digest and five-year history also will be made available today at Hiram City Hall.

Mayor Doris Devey during the meeting presented a proclamation of the Paulding Public Safety Appreciation Inc. and made an announcement of the Appreciation Day event, to be held Oct. 13. Devey also read a proclamation regarding National Red Ribbon Week in recognition of the support for a drug-free community.

Before adjourning to go into closed session, the council voted in favor of adopting a resolution to establish the procedure and requirements for processing open records requests received by the city. No additional agenda items were considered following the council’s return from closed session.