By NICOLE CARTRETTE

Whiteville City Council members received copies of the manager’s 2006-2007 draft budget Thursday just in time for the June 1 deadline. The proposal calls for holding the property tax rate steady at 42 cents per $100 value.

Last year, council decreased the tax rate from 49 cents to 42 cents per $100 value, an effective two-cent increase because of updated real estate values.

At the request of Police Chief Jerry Britt, the draft includes $76,000 for two additional officers. In addition, $42,700 is appropriated for two patrol cars. Last year, the city did not follow its usual plan of purchasing two police cars per year.

Nolan Avenue Park tennis court improvements and new ball field lighting is included at $52,000. In addition, a new mower at $8,000 is appropriated for the recreation department.

Also, $250,000 is estimated for “two major drainage construction projects” at Oliver, College, and Thompson streets. Last year, $200,000 was appropriated for drainage construction and maintenance and approximately $50,000 remains.

Sewer rates will not include another $2.50 increase as they have for the past three years, in the draft. The fees were increased to cover the cost of a $2.2 million low-interest loan on wastewater treatment plant improvements.

The city’s garbage removal expenses will increase. Although, a final service contract with Waste Management is not yet in place the expense for all sanitation services is expected to rise from $696,000 to $832,150.

No additional charge to residents is proposed, although the city will be paying more for basic residential rates increased from $5.77 to $7.77 and yard waste fees, increased from $2.97 to $3.97.

Commercial customers will see a 31-percent rate increase under the proposal. The current monthly rate of $21.74 per two-yard container goes to $28.58. The fee for eight-yard containers goes from $86.94 to $114.31.

A request that the city take over the estimated $3,500 Christmas light decorations from the chamber of commerce is not included in the Special Appropriations Account. Instead, last year’s $4,500 chamber contribution and $880 street Christmas lights contribution are unchanged.

The non-profit hospice will again receive $5,000 for the second year, under the proposal. Last year, council agreed to donate $5,000 a year for five years to the organization.

The draft calls for a 2.5 percent cost of living increase and 1.25 percent merit increase for city employees. The city manager’s salary would remain at $65, 515.

Insurance rates for the city have increased across the board. City Manager Susan Rhodes plans for a 25-percent increase in health premiums, a 27-percent increase in property and liability coverage, and a 54 percent increase in worker’s compensation rates.

Code enforcement is budgeted $25,000. City staff used only $150 of the $25,000 budgeted for code enforcement and building demolition in the current fiscal year.

A $49,000 pipe camera system is included for the sewer department. A new Supervised Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system at a cost of $65,000 is proposed for the water department.

Under the proposal, Rhodes’ recommends an appropriation of nearly $335,000 be taken from the undesignated fund balance to fund the Nolan Park and drainage construction projects.

City council will hold its annual budget workshop today at city hall. The budget is open to the public for inspection at the office of the city clerk.