MT. AIRY - The Mt. Airy Town Council has approved the town's 2016 budget, which comes in at a combined $1,058,800.
About one-third of that budget, approved during a called meeting Monday night, is for the town's water department operations.
The Georgia Crime Information Center portion of the budget is set at $385,000. The GCIC budget includes income and expenses from police department employees performing criminal background checks.
The water budget was approved at $359,000, which includes a $55,000 transfer from GCIC to balance water expenses with revenues.
Mayor Gary Morris said with replacement of the nearly 75-year-old main water lines through town during 2015 and the resulting loan note, the town probably needs to look at increasing its water rates in the coming year.
That's because the water department should be a self-supporting enterprise, not relying on revenue from other sources to keep it solvent, Morris and Councilman Ray McAllister said.
The general fund budget was approved at $314,800. That includes $157,950 in total general government, $21,500 for public buildings, $64,250 for public safety, and $71,100 for public works.
Councilwoman Linda Hughes was unable to attend the meeting due to illness.
