Department Heads Present Reduced Budgets To Ste. Genevieve Aldermen

The ongoing game of tug-o-war over the city of Ste. Genevieve’s fiscal year 2020 budget continued at the Board of Aldermen’s ninth budget work session on August 26.

The budget year begins on October 1, and aldermen typically pass the budget in two readings during the September meetings.

Police chief Eric Bennett, fire chief Kenny Steiger, community development administrator David Bova and tourism director Sandra Cabot brought revised budgets with cuts of between 5.8 and 6.6 percent to the board last week, but some aldermen expressed hesitancy to allow those cuts to be made.

At the end of the two hour, fifteen minute work session, it was agreed to hold another one at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 5. It will follow the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. in the same room at City Hall.

Many of the aldermen expressed a desire to talk to their constituents and get a better feel for public opinion before hammering out a final budget.

“I think we need at least one more discussion,” Ward 1 Alderwoman Susie Johnson said.

“We discussed everything tonight, so where do we go from here?” Mayor Paul Hassler asked after the next meeting date was established.

Ward 2 Alderman Bob Donovan said he wanted to talk with his constituents before making decisions.

See complete details on the department heads’ proposals in the September 4 edition.