From left are, Cave City Councilman Brandon Wright, Cave City City Clerk Bonita Hendren, Cave City Mayor Dwayne Hatcher and attorney Rich Alexander. Gage Wilson/ Glasgow News 1
By GAGE WILSON
Glasgow News 1
The Cave City Council met at a special meeting Tuesday, June 27, to discuss the 2024 budget. The council members began the meeting at 5 p.m. with Councilwoman Ashlyn Hudson and Councilman Mike Houchens absent. City Attorney Bobby Richardson was also absent and Rich Alexander filled that role.
Councilman Brandon Wright started the reading of the 2024 budget by pointing out that due to it being amended again since the council received a copy of the budget the week of June 12, he did not have the two week time period he requested to fully examine the ordinance.
Mayor Dewayne Hatcher said, “It has been updated. I’m not saying it has totally changed, but it has been continually worked on.”
Wright continued to express his discomfort in passing a budget that he did not fully go over. “I’m saying I wanted two weeks to review the budget before I held my hand up and said ‘I read the budget’ and now I’m fixing to get another budget that I have no idea on what’s changed.”
Bonita Hendren, the city clerk and treasurer, pointed out that the updated budget the council members had before them had not changed drastically.
“There will be some different numbers, but not a lot,” she said.
Addressing the Mayor, Wright said, “I don’t think you can have a first reading, and then change it before the second reading, unless you have voted on amendments.”
Rich Alexander pointed out that changes could be made between first and second readings.
Hatcher called on Wright and Councilman Denny Doyle, who are both on the Budget and Finance Committee, to work on the changes and answer any questions either Friday afternoon, or sometime the first week of July, with Hatcher emphasizing the haste needed in getting the budget passed.
Since the 2024 budget will not be passed until at least July 10, the next scheduled meeting for the council, Cave City will continue to operate under the 2023 budget in the interim.
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