The Lincolnton City Council adopted a proposed FY 2008 General Account and Street Account Budget of $754,200 at its regular meeting held Monday, October 1.

Although the figure reflects a sevenpercent increase ($52,100) over last year's budget of $702,100, the millage rate will remain at 5.6 mills as a result of growth in the tax digest.

"I think this budget is conservative, yet it addresses our needs," said Mayor Dwaine Biggerstaff. "We are continuing to rely on sales tax, fees, and so forth as our main sources of revenue instead of property tax. At the present time, approximately 23 percent of our budget is funded by property tax."

The 2008 budget includes the purchase of a new garbage truck and raises for city employees.

Public hearings on the budget are scheduled for Thursday, October 4, at 1 p.m.; Thursday, October 11, at 6 p.m.; and Thursday, October 18, at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. The budget will be considered for adoption at a called meeting of the mayor and council held immediately following the public hearing on October 18.

In other business, Stanley Parton, water department superintendent, informed those present that on Friday, September 28, the EPD announced that Lincoln County is one of the counties experiencing "Drought Response Level 4" conditions. Level 4 is the most severe drought classification.

As a result, the state has mandated that all outdoor water use is prohibited. Exemptions include the irrigation of personal food gardens, power washing, sod producers, construction sites, retail garden centers, new landscapes installed by certified or licensed professionals, car washes, ornamen- tal growers, and other activities essential to daily business.

To obtain a list of all of the exemptions to the EPD mandate, contact City Hall at 706-359-3229.

Superintendent Parton went on to report that the city is not hurting as far as water production is concerned. "The lake is about two feet above our middle intake valve," he explained. "If the water drops a few feet, we will be forced to use our lower intake valve, which is set at 311.5 feet above mean sea level."

Full pool for Clark's Hill Lake is 330 feet above mean sea level.

In further business, the council:

• Approved the rental fees and rules for use of the Lincolnton Clubhouse.

The new rental fees are $75 for Monday through Thursday, $125 for Friday through Sunday, and $125 for holidays. An additional $75 deposit is required at the time of the rental; the deposit will be refunded, provided the clubhouse has been properly maintained.

The clubhouse rules, which will go into effect January 1, 2008, include:

(1) There will be no refunds for cancellations made within 48 hours of an event.

(2) Renters are solely responsible for the condition of the building and will be held responsible for the cost of any damages to the facility.

(3) There will be no smoking inside of the building.

(4) Decorations may not be attached to the walls or ceilings.

(5) No outside activities will be allowed without prior approval.

(6) City police will be instructed to keep check on the facility while it is in use. Moreover, if the police are called for any reason, the deposit will not be refunded.

In a related item of business, Mayor Biggerstaff gave the council an update on the renovation project at the clubhouse.

.. Voted to hire the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) to review and negotiate franchise agreements with the Wilkes Telephone & Electric Company and Comcast for a fee of

1,500.

.. Heard the Water Department Report given by Superintendent Parton, who said, "With cooling temperatures toward the end of September, water usage dropped from 17.95 million gallons in August to 15.23 million gallons in September."

In other comments, the superintendent said, "We have been vigorously flushing pipes around town to get rid of the stained water caused by manganese, which refuses to go away. Nevertheless, I think we're getting a handle on the problem by treating the water with potassium permanganate."

The manganese does not pose a health threat to the public, said Parton.

In conclusion, the council was informed that the water department is working to establish a maintenance schedule for the ultra-violet disinfecting system at the waste-water treatment plant and the various pump sta- tions around town.

"We've been advised that regular maintenance (once or twice weekly) will probably help solve some of our problems as well as eliminate the horrendous cost of repairs," stated Mayor Biggerstaff.

.. Heard an update given by the mayor on the city's efforts to purchase a new garbage truck. It is estimated that the truck will cost at least $100,000.

Biggerstaff indicated that the city may be able to obtain grant funds for the purchase from USDA-Rural Development.

.. Voted to renew the following alcoholic beverage licenses: Golden Pantry, Bell's Food Market, and Sunrise Minit Market.

.. Voted to revise the Vacation Benefits Policy for city employees. The changes include:

(1) Employees with over 10 years of service will be eligible for three weeks of vacation each year.

(2) The total amount of unused vacation time now has a cap of 15 days.

(3) Employees will not be paid for vacation days unless they are leaving the city.

The new policy will go into effect January 1, 2008.

The next regular meeting of the mayor and council will be held Monday, November 5, at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall.