Jamestown  (CSi)  Jamestown Mayor, Dwaine Heinrich says there may be another one or two 2019 city budget meetings before the final figures are set.

On Monday’s Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2, he said, the state requires the final numbers be sent to the county by August 10th.

He pointed out that with cuts in state funding, Jamestown will have a total of $886,000 less in  available funding from the state compared to  the past few years.  That includes $386,000 no longer coming from the North Dakota’s property tax subsidy,  in addition to $500,000 less in state funding for the 2019 city budget, stemming from a sharp downturn in the gas and oil extraction tax.

He added that the city has spent down its General Fund reserves, and about $2-million needs to be in the reserve fund.

In order to balance the 2019 budget a Mill Levy increase of 11 mills is needed.

Mayor Heinrich said the city budget process takes in to account that the city’s share of General Fund budget dollars was insufficient to fund both the Jamestown Police and Fire Department budgets.

He noted the proposed 2019 city budget includes dollars to hire a new City Fire Department fighter, as City Fire Jim Reuther says the department is short eight firefighters.

The Mayor encourages those interested in becoming a volunteer fighter to contact Jim Reuther for more information.