The City of Brownwood moved one step closer to adopting the FY 2012-2013 annual budget and setting tax rates, utility rates and fees in Tuesday’s council meeting.  Ordinances addressing each of these were approved unanimously on first reading by the council.

According to City Manager Bobby Rountree, the city’s proposed $30,283,130 budget is a 1.16% increase over the prior year.  The FY 2012-2013 proposed budget was distributed on July 13, 2012; a budget workshop was held on July 17th and a public hearing to receive input from the public was held August 28th.  A copy of the proposed budget is available online or in the city secretary’s office.

An ordinance establishing the proposed tax rate of $0.7463 per $100 valuation was approved for FY 12/13, which is the effective tax rate for the current year.  Although this is a slight increase in the current year’s tax rate of $0.7452, it is not considered a tax increase because property values in the city went down.  The effective tax rate will create the same tax intake for the city as the prior year (after adjustments).  As a result, the adoption of the effective tax rate as proposed does not require any notice of a tax increase or any public hearings associated with it according to City Finance Director Walter Middleton.

An ordinance setting charges, fees, rates, and deposits for customers on the Brownwood water, sewer and sanitation system FY 12/13 was also unanimously approved.  According to Middleton, there are no changes proposed to the rate ordinance for the current year.

In other matters on Tuesday’s agenda:

*Approval of the BEDC FY 12/13 annual budget.

*Authorization was granted for the mayor to sign a vendor’s agreement for 2012 Home Delivered Meals with the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services.

*Authorization was granted to the city manager to execute an agreement with TxDOT for temporary closure of FM 2524 (Austin Avenue) from Fisk to Center Avenue for the Howard Payne University Homecoming Parade on October 13, 2012.

*Authorization was granted to the mayor to execute a quitclaim deed to Connie Dewbre and Nancy Morrison granting a parcel of land located in the Idlewild Addition.

*An extension of a lease agreement with Brad Simpson was approved.

*Council ratified mayoral appointment of Pierre Osbourn to the Fireman’s Relief and Retirement Board (replacing Rick Martin as the citizen board member) and re-appointments to the Brownwood Housing Authority Board of Rita Hairston (term expiring 9-15-14) and Bill Slaymaker (term expiring 9-15-14).