Negaunee City Council in Tough Budget Talks

Negaunee’s City Council has some tough decisions ahead as it works on balancing the budget.

Councilors debated for 3 hours this morning on how to fund city services without taking money away from improvement projects.

A few city residents spoke out about concerns they have with administrative pay, making the community safe and making it a place people want to be.

The council has to consider future economic development while working with the realizations that the population is declining and that there’s less money out there to work with.

They moved to keep all 9 employees at the Police Department, but they asked the Chief of Police to look at what he can cut from his budget.

The councilors also have to decide if they can fund grants they committed to matching a part of, like grants for Jackson Mine Park, or put that money to use on other services instead.

The budget talks will continue at their next meeting Monday night.

The council has until November 12th to put its 2010 budget in place.