Work on the 2009-10 Fairfield city budget got underway at a workshop last week and initial figures show a projected $570,669 deficit, but with room for cuts.

The early budget figures include "wish lists" for all departments, some of which will be kept and others that will be cut as council members work through the process.

Fairfield divides its budget into two basic categories— general fund includes most of the day-today workings of city government and enterprise fund accounts for water and sewer operations.

The budget shows total revenues of $7.22 million and expenses of $7.99 million. Last year the numbers were revenues of $7.63 million and expenses of $7.87 million.

However, the current budget includes expenses that were not made, such as $500,000 earmarked to build a civic center. The civic center expense is being carried over from this year to next.

More than three dozen items are included in the early budget estimate that can be adopted or dropped by the council, some of which continue regular city operations and others that can be pursued if money allows.

For example, $50,000 is penciled in for an economic development director whose job would be to work with other entities and organizations on their projects in town. The director could also function as a civic center manager.

Another expense, $50,311, is for a city animal control officer, a new position that currently is being filled by contract, and $30,000 for an animal control vehicle.

The budget also sets aside $40,000 for playground equipment, $30,000 for a street sweeper and $30,000 to advertise and support the Boys' Little Dribblers National Championship to be hosted here in April 2010.

Major source of general fund revenue, $2.4 million, is from sales tax collections, while property taxes provide $652,000 and the municipal court brings in $531,000.

Other revenue comes from: telephone franchise fee, $84,000; cable television franchise fee, $12,000; electric utility franchise fee, $185,600; natural gas franchise fee, $38,000; fire department reimbursement, $27,000; delinquent taxes, $24,584; Moody Reunion Grounds, $15,000; interest, $15,000; building permits, $16,000; mixed drink tax, $12,000; tax penalties and interest, $14,000; bingo, $4,800; Dogan, $3,000; and miscellaneous, $35,000.

Proposed general fund revenues by department are: administrative, $1.67 million; ambulance, $84,000; conference/civic centers (operating), $70,886; fire department, $147,691; judicial, $299,329; library, $31,000; parks and recre- ation, $299,198; police, $1.07 million; streets, $972,188; and Fairfield Industrial Development Corporation, $118,241.

Enterprise fund expenses are broken down as: sanitation, $430,000; water, $1.05 million; and wastewater, $1.75 million.

Fairfield serves as the fiscal agent for water and sewer services provided the Boyd Unit state prison, estimated to cost $533,186 next year. Those expenses are offset entirely through charges made to Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

The hotel-motel tax fund is expected to generate $352,250 in FY 2009-10, and starts the year with a fund balance of $966,856.

Expenses of $575,000 are proposed, of which $500,000 is earmarked again for a civic center.

City council members were scheduled to conduct another budget workshop early this week after receiving certified property tax values which rose slightly from last year.

The council will convene again at 5 p.m. Thursday for budget work.