Harlan approves $1.67 million budget amendment

    HARLAN – The Harlan City Council has approved a budget amendment for the 2018-19 fiscal year totaling $1,676,405, of which $549,405 is attributed to decreased revenues and $1,127,000 are increased expenditures anticipated this year.
    The council voted 5-0 approving the amendment (Greg Bladt, Troy Schaben, Jeanna Rudolph, Jay Christensen and Dave Miller aye; Sharon Kroger absent) at its May 21 regular council meeting.
    Harlan City Clerk/Finance Director Jane Smith explained that when budgeting nearly 1 ½ years in advance, changes are bound to occur that require the city council to amend the budget prior to the end of the fiscal year.  
    This year in Harlan, for example, there were increased expenditures needed due to everything from emergency street work and overtime due to flooding and additional costs associated with work at the wastewater treatment plant,  to bond payments and payment for two fiscal year audits that were paid in one year due to timing of the audits, just to name a few.