DISH — Town leaders will tap cash reserves to finish Town Hall, start a small library and outfit a community park around Town Hall.

Tillman

They finalized their spending plan during the first public hearing on the town’s 2007-08 budget Wednesday night. Several residents came to the hearing on the proposed budget and asked questions about current debt levels and services, including former mayor L.E. Clark.

Clark asked whether the town could reinstate some city services, including training for the city secretary and animal control.

“Whether you’ve got a wild dog, or stray cats, or a skunk under your porch, that’s part of city taxes,” Clark said. “We used to have an animal control person [on contract]. We need to get him back on the job.”

Mayor Calvin Tillman told the small crowd that the budget included nominal amounts for animal control and membership in the North Central Texas Council of Governments, something DISH had not joined before.

“They have good training programs, and it doesn’t cost much at all,” Tillman said.

DISH was the only municipality in Denton County to see its projected revenues drop — more than 13 percent — between fiscal year 2007 and 2008. About 61 percent of the town’s revenues come from gas well operations inside town limits.

Tillman had been surprised about the dip, since early projections saw next year’s revenue going up, not down.

Clark, who served as mayor from the town’s founding in 2000 until 2005, said mineral revenues have always been hard to predict.

But last year’s expenditures were lower than projected, so the town has nearly a year’s worth of cash in reserve.

Tillman proposed not only to pay down some of the Town Hall financing debt, which is about $87,000, but also set aside money to help secure grants for a community park around Town Hall and to finish Town Hall.

After the meeting, Tillman said interest in DISH’s nascent community library is building. A resident has volunteered to run the library on Saturday mornings. Patrons have already been stopping in to use the computer. Next year’s budget includes $500 for new shelves and books.

A second public hearing has tentatively been scheduled for Sept. 12, when town leaders will consider adopting a property tax rate of 22.988 cents per $100 valuation to support the budget.

PEGGY HEINKEL-WOLFE can be reached at 940-566-6881. Her e-mail address is pheinkel-wolfe@dentonrc.com.

IN THE MONEY

2006-07 expense budget: $73,800

2007-08 expense budget: $90,595

Increase: about 22.8 percent

2006-07 tax rate: 22.988 cents per $100 valuation

2007-08 tax rate: 22.988 cents per $100 valuation

The average property owner’s tax bill would stay the same unless the home, business or mineral valuation changed from last year.

Highlights of the budget:

—Appropriate $20,000 to finish Town Hall and make additional debt payment

—Set aside $10,000 as matching funds for potential parks grant

—Spend $500 on town library, including new shelving and books