NATCHEZ — In a succinct budget public hearing, the 2008-2009 city budget was swiftly adopted.

The budget for the new fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 is $31,531,242.

This is only a slight increase from the previous year, and City Clerk Donnie Holloway said the increases are due to city projects such as the North Natchez Storm drainage project.

“We’ve put a lot of time and effort in this,” Holloway said.

And the consensus is the budget is tight.

“There’s no fat in this budget whatsoever,” he said.

Historically, there has been overspending in the budget, and a lot of effort was put in this year to cut back on the overages and get the budget back to normal.

To avoid that happening again in the future, the city has implemented a committee within the board of aldermen.

Consisting of Holloway, Mayor Jake Middleton and aldermen James “Ricky” Gray and Dan Dillard, the committee plans to meet monthly.

They also plan to meet quarterly with the entire board to discuss the budget.

No major cuts were made in any department — including recreation, which was a big concern among citizens at the prior public hearing — except for the mayor’s office.

Dillard said the mayor’s office took a large cut.

“This mayor took one of the biggest cuts in his department and he’s leading by example, not words,” Dillard said.

There were no increases in any city employee’s salary and there were no increases for any department.

This caused disappointment among Armstrong Library Director Susan Cassagne and Adams County Human Society board member Nan Garrison.

Both women asked for an increase in their budget at Monday night’s public hearing.

The board was not entirely pleased at the way the budget turned out. They wish there was more wiggle room and more money.

“You elected us to run the city and sometimes we have to make tough decisions up here,” Middleton said.

But he said every board member worked very hard to produce the best budget possible.

“I don’t think I’ve seen a board work as hard or as sincere at balancing a budget as these guys,” Middleton said.