NATCHEZ — The Natchez Board of Aldermen will meet today to finalize the proposed 2012-2013 budget it is scheduled to adopt Tuesday.

Mayor Butch Brown said the board would discuss budgets for engineering, public works and recreation as well as raises for city employees.

The board, Brown said, is considering raises for all city employees who have not received a raise in the last few years or whose last raise was not adequate.

Those raises, Brown said, will be given on a case-by-case basis.

“We’re not giving across the board raises; we’re trying to assess who has been given raises and who has not,” he said.

The aldermen have already discussed and essentially agreed to raises for police officers and firefighters, as well as raising salaries for the aldermen, City Clerk Donnie Holloway and Municipal Judge Jim Blough. The salaries of those elected officials were cut three years ago as a cost-saving measure for the city.

The board will also be finalizing the budget for public works, which will be separated from the engineering department as a standalone department.

Duncan Park is also being separated from the recreation department, Brown said.

“(Duncan Park) will have a separate budget, but we haven’t perfected what it’s going to include,” he said.

The aldermen will adopt the approximately $12.8 million budget after a public hearing at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the Natchez City Council Chambers.

The budget will include a $300,000-$500,000 increase that Brown has said is mostly attributed to the raises.