Despite Coatesville's preliminary 2008 budget calling for a $2.28 million deficit in its general fund there has been little public discussion on just why expenditures are being predicted to exceed the combined 2007 budget by $1.7 million and what needs to be done to balance the budget.

The preliminary budget is available for public review at City Hall.

Last Monday night, Nov. 27, council voted 4 to 2 to accept the 2008 preliminary budget with no discussion. The combined preliminary city budget totals $24.5 million and exceeds combined revenues of $22.7 million by $1.7 million. The preliminary general fund budget, which is the city's operating budget, lists $10.7 million in expenses, but only $8.4 million dollars in revenue.

Despite these huge budget deficits, Council President Patsy Ray had no trouble zipping through two public budget workshops, asking department heads little about their budget requests.

City Finance Director Ricky Dean had set up the two workshops for Nov 20 and 21 to provide a pubic forum where department heads would publicly discuss their budget requests. Dean hoped that some of their requests could be pared back.

At the first workshop, Dean handed out a six-page explanation of the budget process. The last page listed specific items to be discussed, including: tax rates; a summary of budget requests; revenues; and expenditures by individual departments.

"I plan on us spending most of our time on expenditures," he told the department heads assembled in council chambers at the first of the two budget workshops. But that came to an end when Ray arrived late and took over the meeting.

At first she complained that council members weren't aware of the meetings and advised some department heads they could leave. "You would only have to go over it again tomorrow night," she said. Dean attempted to explain that is exactly what he wanted: a two day presentation, the second a duplicate of the first.

"I have that right, don't I," said Ray.

"The administration was pre-empted," said one City Hall official who requested anonymity. "How can you spend more money than you take in and not ask questions about it," the official asked.

Councilman Kareem Johnson, Council Member-elect Karen Jorgenson, and Ray were the only council members to attend the workshops. Council Member Ed Simpson said neither he nor council members Marty Eggleston and Stephanie Dowridge-Smith were aware of the workshops.

"We were not informed. I never received any notification about a budget meeting," said Simpson. "Unfortunately, the administration is again trying to run the city without council input."

Rob Barry, redevelopment project manager for the Main Street program, was the only department head to remain for the first workshop; the others departed after Ray saying they didn't need to stay.

Barry's budget requests were down from this year. The 2007 budget lists Main Street expenditures at $201,103; however, in the 2008 preliminary budget, he is asking for $166,838.

Barry listed three major projects for the upcoming year: Upgrading the West End Park; renovations to the train station and platform for which the city already has $1.3 million in grants; and purchase of the Olivet Methodist Church parking lot at Fleetwood Street and Third Avenue to add it to adjacent properties already owned by city to be turned into a parking lot. City Manager Harry Walker has said a 150-space parking lot will be constructed in the hopes of luring rail passengers to use Amtrak rail service. The city has applied for a $1 million grant from the county for the project.

At the second budget workshop, the remaining department heads went through their budget requests in less than a hour, with the few questions from Ray and Johnson centering on gas costs and office supplies. Those department heads presenting their budget requests were: Police Chief William Matthews; Urban Planner and Codes Director Damalier Molina; Recreational Manager Ricky Hicks; Public Works Director Don Wilkerson; and the Finance Department.

The 2008 preliminary budget for general fund expenditures is broken down as follows:

Council, $104,956; administration, $612,380; finance, 458,752; legal, $300,000; human resources, $105,941; technology, $71,800; buildings and plants, $223,838; police, $3,643,174; fire, $694,002; codes enforcement, $499,097; planning and zoning, $12,000;

Highway roads and streets general service, $536,975; transit system, $50,000; recreation administration, no amount listed; participant recreation pools, $77,635; participant recreation camp, $53,200; community center, no amount listed; parks, $167,279; libraries, $11,000; community arts, $167,279; weed and seed, $95,351; economic development, no amount listed; Main Street, $166,838;

Judgments and losses; $15,000; insurance, $500,000; employee benefits, $641,500; interfund transfers, $1,539, 720; and prior year expenses, $15,000. Total expenditures for the general fund, according to the preliminary 2008 budget, are $10,762,668. Revenues for next year are project at $8,481,963.