Natchez — Due to several extenuating circumstances, including Hurricane Gustav, the city has not yet completed its budget.

It was announced Monday evening at the city’s budget public hearing that there were still some numbers that needed to come before the budget could be reviewed by the public.

City Clerk Donnie Holloway said a lot of it has to do with extra expenses incurred during the hurricane.

“We’ve got some problems we’re looking at,” he said.

Some of these problems are contigent on whether the federal government will declare Natchez disaster area, thus alleviating some of the storm preparation and clean-up costs.

The meeting has been moved to 5 p.m. today in the council chambers building.

The meeting was still open to the public, giving them a chance to air their opinions on the budget.

While most of the discussion centered on the recreation budget, there were a few other requests.

Armstrong Library Director Susan Cassagne requested a .425-mil increase to the library budget which would bring it up to 3-mils.

This increase would allow the library to extend their hours and buy more books and materials.

It would also help fix the damage caused by Gustav and other damages that were present before the storm.

Cassagne said the library benefits the city economically and even shared a formula for how much money she anticipates the 2008 Mississippi Library Association conference will generate — roughly $550,800.

She said the library has not requested an increase in its budget in ten years.

Nan Garrison, who is a board member for the Natchez-Adams Humane Society, said the humane society hasn’t asked for an increase in 11 years and she said they are in desperate need of more money.

She said every year, the Adams County Board of Supervisors pays $20,000 to the humane society and the city pays $15,000.

But with rising costs of animal food, medication, electricity and the repairs the building so desperately and constantly needs, Garrison said it’s just not enough.

Every month the humane society has a fundraiser and out of their $130,000 yearly budget, they raise $80,000 of it themselves.

“We’re tired,” Garrison said.