Oak Point approves lean budget, delays tax rate vote
By LAURA CHILDRESS

The Oak Point City Council adopted a lean $1.94 million budget Monday, following a final public hearing on the proposed 2007-08 fiscal year budget.

The budget is 9 percent below the 2006-07 amended budget.

The 2007-08 budget allocates 41 percent of funds for public safety and 16 percent for public works. It also includes $71,639 for phase 2 of the city's drainage analysis, targeting Crescent Oaks.

Following the absence of a quorum at the first tax rate hearing, the adoption of the tax rate, proposed at 57.9 cents per $100 evaluation, the same as the current rate, was pushed back to Sept. 28, following scheduled hearings this Thursday, Sept. 20, and Monday, Sept. 24.

The council also voted to suspend a rate increase proposed by Monarch utilities for 90 days while staff reviews the proposal and to give residents time to protest the increase.

City Manager Richard Martin noted that Monarch, which supplies water to residents in Crescent Oaks, is proposing a rate increase between 41 and 46 percent.

Martin recommended that a public hearing on the proposed increase by scheduled during the December council meeting.

Martin added that it is up to the council to accept or reject the increase. Should the council not approve the increase, or the full rate proposed, Monarch may appeal to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

In other business, the council: * Approved the consent agenda, consisting of the corrected minutes of the town hall meeting Aug. 14, minutes of the budget town hall meeting Aug. 18, council meeting Aug. 20 and special council meetings Sept. 5 and 12; acceptance of municipal court, finance and DPS reports; and resolutions accepting the donation of three outdoor picnic tables from George Vaeth and a refrigerator from Joe Stringer, appointing a city auditor, a contract with Aubrey Area Ambulance Services, a contract with the North Texas Animal Control Authority and amending the public hearing schedule for adopting the budget and tax rate.

* Proclaimed Sept. 17-23 as Constitution Week.

* Approved a 7-percent increase in garbage collection services by Allied Waste, which will mean an increase to customers of 80 cents per month.

* Approved a preliminary plat for Phase II of Wellington Trace, located west of Hill Lane and north of McDaniel Drive, in the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction.

* Authorized staff to make the transition to electronic format for the city newsletter. Paper copies will still be available at city hall and to be mailed upon request. One more paper copy will be mailed to all residents.

* Discussed a tax freeze for residents 65 and older, but decided that it's not financially feasible at this time. Once commercial development within the city is established, the council recommended revisiting the proposal. Staff noted that residents 65 and older do, however, currently receive an additional $20,000 homestead exemption.

* Approved a resolution calling for the sale of bonds for road improvements within Cross Oak Ranch. Once the bonds are sold, they will be repaid through a PID assessment on the affected properties.