Mayor Mickey Thompson’s State of the City address tackled the tough topic first — the economy and the city’s fiscal condition.

With the exception of budget cuts, the September flooding and the damage that ensued, his other reports were sprinkled with cause for optimism.

In an advanced copy of his report, Thompson detailed the challenges of last year, which included providing the same level of service to city residents with reduced resources, which include a reduction in work force.

A decline in sales tax revenues by 8.3 percent, a property tax revenue decline by two percent and a decline in the hotel/motel tax revenue by 17 percent caused a drop in the general fund revenues from $18,046,677 to $17,998,590, Thompson said.

The special fund for sanitation operations dropped from $3,942,026 to $3,823,295 — a 3 percent decline.

And while Municipal Court revenues, police fines and franchise fees increased, Thompson said they were too small to change the big picture, even with budget cuts.

“We made tough budget cuts,” Thompson said. “And, for the most part, we did these as part of the regular budget process, so we did not have deep holes to try to crawl out of and we did not have on-the-fly cuts that had to be made.”

The departmental operating budgets were cut by an average of five percent, some planned purchases were eliminated, other purchases were delayed and some equipment was being used longer, Thompson’s report said.

Personnel-wise, 12 vacant positions were not funded and another 12 employees were terminated during1009 through a Reduction in Force (RIF). Some were effective July 1, and others in the fall. Jobs eliminated included some inspector positions and zoning and development positions, which Thompson said was a result of the downturn in new construction.

No cuts were made in the police department, however, which received federal economic stimulus funds to pay for four entry-level police officers for three years with a stipulation that the city must retain the officers for at least one year after the federal funding ends.

A freeze on filling vacant positions (except for public safety), frozen salaries, and strict departmental budgets remain in effect, Thompson said.

Aside from the budget, Thompson gave an update on the status of the Ga. Highway 92 relocation and widening project on the Northside, which is moving forward, and the new bridge over Interstate 20 with new road widening from south of I-20 to near Chick-fil-A. The two projects will eventually connect.

Also, on the topic of transportation, Thompson spoke of the Bright Star Road Connector, which will alleviate traffic congestion on Highway 5 and I-20. The project is funded entirely by the city from its general fund. Improvements to Chapel Hill Road, between I-20 to just south of Stewart Mill Road, including the Chapel Hill Road-Douglas Boulevard intersection, are being paid for by the city’s 2002 SPLOST funds and by funds from the Georgia Department of Transportation. Both projects are near completion, Thompson said.

He also cited work to redo Highway 5 from the I-20 bridge northward, including the Highway 5-Rose Avenue intersection and the completion of all street and culvert projects damaged by September floods, with the exception of Cindy Drive and Creekwood Drive.

Regarding public safety, Thompson said the police department accounts for almost half of the city’s employees. He gave recognition to Chief Chris Womack and Assistant Chief Gary Sparks and told of the new Public Safety and Municipal Court Building, which is under construction.

Thompson also spoke briefly on the Parks and Recreation department and Hunter Park, which is about to undergo construction. It will be funded by 2002 SPLOST funds. He also talked about the damage at Fowler Field Park and the dam at Hunter Park’s main lake from September floods before talking about the new teen center at the Boys & Girls Club.

The drought of 2008 and the rains of and cold weather of 20009 caused problems for West Pines Golf Club, which the city owns, and Thompson said the city is looking at options.

“We are looking at options to protect the city from a financial standpoint, while continuing to have this recreational facility available to our citizens, in accordance with our promise to the citizens when we publicized the 2002 SPLOST referendum through which funding was secured,” he said.

Tidbits of good news were interspersed further, when Thompson spoke about the contract with the University System of Georgia to bring branches of Georgia Highlands College and the University of West Georgia to the city; the opening of the College and Career Institute; the new conference center to be built in the city; and plans for the new Douglas County Jail and the closing of the current one.

Thompson commended the police and sanitation departments for their heroic actions during the September floods, but recognized the damage to the roads, parks and recreation department, private property and commercial losses, damage to the Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority system and the nine lives lost.

Thompson concluded by announcing plans for top-to-bottom evaluation of how city government is structured and to look at how the new cities recently authorized by the Georgia General Assembly are structure. He will appoint a committee of city citizens and others to review those cities’ charters, interview residents there and report on the findings.