Butler City Council will consider amending this year's tax and budget ordinances to raise the streetlight tax to the 2017 rate.

The streetlight tax, which council reduced by 1 mill to 2.25 mills in this year's budget, was among many budgetary items council discussed at a special meeting Monday.

This year's budget and tax ordinances, adopted in December, reduced the streetlight tax from 3.25 mills to 2.25 mills and lowered the city's overall millage rate from the 2017 rate of 43.25 mills to 42.25 mills.

Mayor Ben Smith said the income generated by the streetlight tax will cover the electric bill for the lights, but some streetlights, especially on side streets, need repaired or replaced.

A proposal to amend the ordinances to return the streetlight tax to 3.25 mills will be presented at next week's council meeting, he said.

Councilman Michael Walter said replacing the lights wasn't considered when the 2018 budget was being prepared last year.

The streetlight budget contains a $54,000 surplus that is legally required to be spent this year, he said.

Walter said the poles supporting the 48 cobra streetlights on Main Street and the Gen. Richard Butler Bridge might not be safe and might have to be replaced. He said each pole costs $10,000.

Walter said an engineering study on the poles should be conducted.

Councilman Jeff Smith suggested saving the cost of an engineering study by asking companies that sell the poles to look at the existing poles and present proposals to fix or replace them.

An engineering study could be done if council doesn't like the response from the companies, he said.

John Evans, the city's building code official, recommended having an engineer prepare specifications and guidelines for the poles and then seeking proposals from companies to make sure all submit proposals for the same work.

Councilman Kenny Bonus said streetlight tax proceeds can be used for the lights as well as the electric bill. He said he supports returning the tax rate to last year's amount.

Walter said the surplus would also have to be spent.

“We can raise it (the millage rate) back up, but we have to spend it,” Walter said.

Councilman Corey Roche said he supports keeping the tax rate at this year's lower rate and council should concentrate its efforts on growing the city's tax base.

He suggested using the $54,000 surplus to fix any lights found to be unsafe.

Council members also discussed the amount of money budgeted for overtime pay at the police and fire departments.

Jeff Smith said the 2018 budget includes $150,000 for fire department overtime, but the department racked up $217,000 in overtime in 2017.

Smith stressed that he isn't judging the department but said he would like realistic numbers in the budget.

“I'd just as soon have a realistic budget,” Smith said.

Walter, also emphasizing that he isn't trying to offend either department, said that police department overtime has exceeded its budget every year since 2014 and overtime can be managed better.

Fire department overtime is a contractual issue that must be discussed in executive session, he said.

Council held an executive session Monday after adjourning the special meeting, for personnel matters.

The $280,000 budgeted as revenue from local fines and costs was among the other budget figures that were questioned,

In 2017 that revenue totaled $91,000 through November and was probably about $100,000 by the end of the year, Jeff Smith said.

Revenue from fines and costs were more than $276,000 in 2016, said Mindy Gall, city clerk.

Deputy Police Chief Dave Adam said the department doesn't have as many officers as it used to, so there is less time for them to work traffic details that generate fines.

Responding to a question from Ben Smith, Adam said the department probably wouldn't be able to generate $280,000 with a full staff.

In unrelated business, council unanimously approved a policy that requires council approval to use the public safety building.

The Neighborhood Drug Watch submitted a request to have a meeting in the building. Council will vote on the request at its Jan. 25 meeting, Ben Smith said.