By Linda Seida, Staff Writer
LAMBERTVILLE — The City Council passed a temporary $3.025 million temporary budget, enabling Lambertville to operate fiscally until officials can finalize and approve the actual 2011 budget.
The temporary budget, approved Jan. 1, is a matter of procedure, a financial step that must be taken yearly to allow the local government to operate while it awaits a final budget that is months away from being passed, according to Mayor David Del Vecchio.
Municipal budgets normally have an April target date for finalization. In recent years, however, budget timelines often have been pushed later as municipalities await news on financial aid from the state government.
The city’s 2011 temporary budget includes $253,917 in salary and wages for the Police Department, with an additional $18,764 for expenses.
The Clerk’s Office has been allocated $23,363 for salary and wages. An additional $7,613 has been allocated for other expenses.
The Municipal Court’s salary and wages have been budgeted at $16,760, with an additional $9,975 for other expenses.
The Finance Department has been allocated $18,900 in salary and wages, with an additional $2,822 in expenses.
Salary and wages for the tax assessor equals $7,563, and an additional $2,363 for other expenses. The maintenance of the city’s tax map adds another $394.
The tax collector has been allocated $9,860 for salary and wages, and an additional $2,651 for other expenses.
The Public Works Department is budgeted at $45,689 for salary and wages, and an additional $9,975 for other expenses. Another $19,476 is scheduled for salary and wages related to solid waste removal, with an additional $44,843 for related expenses. Street lighting is budgeted at $9,319, and salary and wages for snow removal are budgeted at $2,625.
The city’s construction o fficial is budgeted at $21,458 for salary and wages, with an additional $394 for other expenses.
Payments to the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) are budgeted at a total of $30,619. Payments to the Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (PFRS) total $28,409.
Various professionals hired by the city also have been included in the temporary budget. Almost $9,200 is earmarked for the city attorney. The prosecutor is slated for $11,288. The auditor is scheduled to receive $9,503.
Maintenance for the building that houses the Lambertville Public Library, the Lilly Mansion, is budgeted at $67,548.
Utilities have been budgeted as follows: Electricity, $8,400; telephone, $5,513; water, $446; fuel oil, $2,231; sewerage, $630; gasoline, $6,825; diesel fuel, $4,463; and natural gas, $2,363.

