The Hamlet Town Council voted to adopt the town’s 2017 budget Wednesday. The town’s requesting a total budget of just under $428,000. It now goes to the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance for review.
Meanwhile, the town’s hoping to make the budgeting process a little easier, thanks to some upgrades to computer software. Clerk-Treasurer Kristina Pitts says the supplier is phasing out one of the programs the town currently uses. “I do Key Billing and Key Budget,” she explained. “The Key Budget one, it’ll still be usable, but they’re not going to be updating it or anything anymore. They’re kind of wanting everybody to switch over to what’s called Key Fund. I kind of knew about it last year, but the money really wasn’t there. So the total for the program is $5,750.”
She says half of that money will come out of the 2016 budget, while the other half will be spent out of next year’s budget, after the new software is installed in the spring. Pitts adds that Knox and a few other local communities have already made the switch. “What I’ve heard of the Key Fund is actually much better than the Budget,” she said. “Like as I write a check, it just automatically takes it out of the appropriation, unlike the Budget – I have to physically do it.”
Council members approved the purchase of the Key Fund software unanimously.
