City officials conducted a press conference Thursday to discuss several things being proposed during the city’s budget talks.

Members of the Laurel City Council and various members of the city’s administration have been meeting for more than a week to discuss the city’s 2009 fiscal year budget.

Various administrators within the city have been conducting open meetings with the City Council to discuss next year’s budget.

Gary Suddith, the chief administrative officer for the City of Laurel, and Wanda Benson with the city’s Office of Public Relations conducted the press conference Thursday at Laurel City Hall to address questions concerning several things being proposed for next year’s budget.

“We are diligently looking for ways to cut cost,” Suddith said. “It is very difficult times for all.”

Suddith said city officials “knew we were going to have a tough budget year.”

Officials said once all the department heads submitted their proposed budgets for the next year, it was determined that $465,000 still needed to be trimmed from the projections.

“The problems we have is not with the management. It’s the lack of revenue and rising costs,” Suddith said. “Because of these things we are considering increases in our water and sewer rates.”

According to officials, the utilities department did not take in enough revenue to cover the cost of operations. Therefore, some adjustments will be made in next year’s budget to make the departments self-sufficient.

“We are looking at residential and business rates separately,” Suddith said. “We are still looking at it.”

However, according to a city ordinance, Suddith said, the amount of the cost of living increase on residential water and sewer rates cannot exceed three percent.

The current residential water rate is projected to increase from $10 to no more than $10.30 and the sewer residential rate from the current $15 to approximately $15.45 cents.

Suddith said other departments, which charge fees for certain services, are also been reviewed.

“The City of Laurel’s operating budget is $17 million and our current tax projection is around $16 million. We had a $1.6 million gap that could need to be made up between cost savings and fee increases,” he said. “These fee increases will affect every department that charges a fee.”

However, officials cautioned that no final decisions have been made about the rate and fee changes.

Suddith said the recent announcement changes for the City’s Public Works Department are “things that could be implemented immediately.”

“Sanitation was very simple to figure out,” Suddith said. “The other departments are still working to see what can be done.”

Effective next month, the city will be reducing its garbage collection days. The city will also be going to a four-day work week for the Public Works Department.

Benson said the city’s new sanitation department changes will take effect on Aug. 4.

“Due to increased fuel charges and operational costs, the City of Laurel Public Works Department will operate four days a week,” Benson said. “Along with this change will come a change in the garbage collection schedule.”

Residents in the city currently enjoy two days of garbage collections. However, in an effort to reduce cost, the city will begin one day a week collections in August.

According to Benson, residents whose garbage is currently picked up on Monday and Thursday will have Monday only pickup. She said those residents who are on the Tuesday and Friday schedule will have Tuesday only pickup.

Suddith said fuel cost was a primary reason, however, other issues were factors in the recent decision.

“We are spending $1,000 on diesel fuel each day just for the four garbage trucks alone,” he said.

Based on costs from April, May and June of last year verses the costs for the same time frame this year, Benson said, the city expects to reduce the cost of operations in the Public Works Department by approximately $61,000 with the new schedule.

“In April, May and June of 2008, fuel cost was $17,591.02 compared to the cost in April, May and June of 2007 being $9,882.06 _ which shows a $7,708.96 increase in fuel cost,” she explained. “Based on a four-day work week, where we go to a two-day garbage pickup schedule instead of a four-day pickup schedule, we project a $61,568.52 saving per year.”

Under the new schedule, officials said, commercial and household trash pickup services will still be available just as before.

Benson said residents must call 601-428-6455 to schedule a pickup.

“Currently (commercial and household trash pickup) services are performed on Wednesday only,” she said. “The new plan provides services rotating from Ward to Ward, Monday - Thursday.”

Officials emphasized that the changes in the sanitation department will not result in any layoffs.

While the department will go to a four-day work week, officials said, the city employees will still be working full time and earning 40 hours. The employees will work four 10-hour days instead of five 8-hour days.

“The change will allow the employees to reduce their commute cost by 20 percent,” he said. “The employees in that department will also be able to enjoy a three-day weekend, which is a plus.”

City officials also assure residents that they will continue to receive quality service from the City of Laurel.