RADCLIFF, Ky. (WDRB) -- It’s a big-time financial cushion for a small Kentucky city – a surplus in the middle of a pandemic.
The city of Radcliff is asking residents for suggestions on how it should spend $1.9 million.
Like so many cities, big or small, the accomplishment was not an easy one – especially during a pandemic.
“This is the first time in our city’s history that we have been debt free,” said Mayor J.J. Duvall. “Special projects that we had that we put on the back burner for the time being. Some of those things we were able to save those dollars to help pay off the $1.5 million in debt.”
A dry-erase board in council chambers contains ideas on how the money could be spent.
Federal relief funding amounted to $2.1 million, which allowed that debt to be paid off – however, most of the money paid was rollover from the last fiscal budget. Positions were eliminated and in total $700,000 in operational funds was saved.
A dry-erase board in council chambers contains ideas how the money could be spent – including a new $1.2 million ladder fire truck that is not only a want – but a need.
“To be able to purchase a jaws of life and get a whole new set would go right along with our new fire truck,” said Duvall.
The city has a population of 23,000 and operates on a $12 million dollar annual budget. Duvall calls it a “decent sized city” but without the income base other similarly sized cities have.
Julie Maxwell has live in Radcliff for nine years and said any improvements need to have a big-picture mentality.
A dry-erase board in council chambers contains ideas on how the money could be spent.
“I think that they could improve the roads a little,” Maxwell said. “The parks are well-maintained and they are good so any enhancements to that would be great I would think, too.”
Other ideas the money could be used for:
- $40,000 for phone system
- $325,000 for new blacktop and repairs
- $18,000 for turnout gear
- $75,000 for sidewalks
- $25,000 for building expenses
- $10,000 for salt spreader
- $50,000 would be used to buy a new tractor to cut grass along roads, enhancements to the community pool, and a new system that logs fire and police dispatch calls.
“We encourage the public to tell our council people, call me, and say ‘hey, these are some of the things we hope to see happen in the community,'" Duvall said.
Duvall and the council will be gathering suggestions through the month of September.
Copyright 2021 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
