By JAMES MITCHELL
Sunday Times Newspapers
SOUTHGATE — The general fund budget remains tight, but City Administrator Brandon Fournier said last week’s reprogramming of Community Development Block Grant funds indicated an upturn in the local economic picture.
“We’re very fortunate,” Fournier said. “Home values
are rising just enough so we can let the money out that had been set for home improvements.”
The City Council held a public hearing Wednesday
to reprogram $58,000 of unused 2012 CDBG funds, surplus funds that had been earmarked for housing rehabilitation.
The council unanimously approved the transfer after
confirming that the needs of its housing programs
had been met and that the funds could go toward
the annual $184,000 cost of the dispatch center.
The dispatch center includes services to seniors
and low- to moderate-income residents.
“This offsets the costs by about 20 percent,” Fournier said, and will save approximately $30,000 from the general fund budget.
“With the current state of a tight budget, this is very helpful,” Fournier said.
Fournier said the city typically receives about $130,000 annually in CDBG funds.
(James Mitchell can be reached at [email protected])