Fort Madison, IA – An already tight budget in Fort Madison is about to get even tighter. The city council has agreed to a proposal that resolves a $180,000 shortfall in next year's spending plan. It includes cutting travel and training budgets, eliminating mosquito spraying, switching phone services, and transfering money from other accounts into the general fund. Mayor Steve Ireland says these are simply bandages to get the city through the upcoming fiscal year. The council could vote, next week, on whether to start the process of establishing a list of volunteer firefighters. Ireland says the city is also exploring the feasibility of combining certain city departments, such as streets and parks or sewer and wastewater. The shortfall came about after voters rejected a proposal to shift more sales tax dollars into the city's general fund.
Fort Madison Closing Budget Hole
