City of Newberry ends fiscal year with a $600,000 surplus

BY TIM MARDEN, Newberry City Commissioner
NEWBERRY, Fla. – During the November 28 Newberry City Commission Regular Meeting, Assistant City Manager and Finance Director Dallas Lee presented the amended 2021-2022 Fiscal Year budget, which closed September 30. The high point of his presentation was when he said the City of Newberry came in 6.5% under budget projections for the year.
The City’s projected budget was expected to be around $9.3 million, and the unaudited, amended total stands at approximately $8.7 million. Purvis Gray, a professional governmental auditing firm, will finalize the City’s numbers independently by the first of the year.
The unused portions will roll over to the City’s fund balance for the upcoming year, and the City of Newberry anticipates using some of these funds for capital improvements.
For over a year, the City Planning Department and Commission have been in the conceptual stages of a roadway enhancement project connecting Newberry Road and SW 15th Avenue on the west side of the railroad tracks in the downtown area. Additionally, the City has plans for a new City Hall and a roadway extension of SW 15th Avenue from SW 260th Street near the high school and City cemetery, westward to SR 337. The extension would also include water and sewer upgrades. A new City Hall would not likely begin construction until 2024 at the earliest.
The Gainesville City Commission should be learning from the City of Newberry on how to professionally conduct business and become the best stewards of taxpayers’ money.
The City of Gainesville has a balance budget, but why can’t the City of Gainesville have a surplus like Newberry?
If it is balanced, it is only because of the almost $40,000,000 received from GRU each year.
Sadly the Gainesville City Commission couldn’t care less about being the best stewards of our money. Or anything else that we are concerned about.
For those interested in our training program for good government, our City Commission meets every 2nd and 4th Monday night starting at 7pm. – Commissioner Tim Marden
Newberry – balanced
Gainesville – imbalanced
I guess that’s what happens when all of those lard arses over in Gainesville are tipping the scales of fiscal incompetence.
Hard to to have a surplus when can’t even provide a state ordered Audit that is 2 year late. Their evaisesness seems to be by design like them. Slimy and slippery and clueless.