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Text Box: provide new curbs and gutters throughout the town, which was a county recommendation, because that would necessitate lowering the roads. As previously reported in The Echo, full depth pavement reconstruction has been estimated by the company recommending a repair plan for the town streets to cost between $405,000 and $825,000. Mayor Beers suggested that, with unanticipated costs added on, the total would probably reach $1 million. Prior to the meeting, Mayor Beers had proposed $300,000 for street paving, explaining in a May 10 Notice of Budget Hearing that the contractor's recommended option --

Text Box: At its May 27 meeting, the Glen Echo Town Council voted to raise the property tax rate from $0.12 to $0.13 per $100 to help pay the cost of repairing town streets. It approved a $687,906 overall budget for fiscal year 2008-2009, which began July 1. Among other line items, the new budget includes $400,000 for street paving, $15,000 for sidewalk repairs, and $10,000 for engineering surveys. Increasing property taxes by one cent would raise a total of about $8,000, noted Councilmember Steve Matney. Property values have "gone down slightly," according to Mayor Debbie Beers. Street repairs have been an ongoing issue at the council for the past several years, with money budgeted each year -- but unspent -- since 2005. In fiscal year 2005-2006, and again in 2006-2007, the council approved $75,000 for street paving. Last year, the amount was increased to $200,000. The unspent money, leading to the current surplus of $663,567, has drawn high interest rates, with $20,785 in interest paid to the Town in only 10 months (through May 1), compared to an expected 12-month income figure of $18,000 for last fiscal year. But interest rates have significantly dropped since last year, so anticipated interest income for this year is only $15,000. If all the money budgeted for this year is actually spent, and total estimated income of $258,118 is actually received, the town's expected surplus would be just $233,779, or slightly over one third of the current surplus. The $400,000 budgeted for street repairs will not

Text Box: GLEN ECHO TOWN PICNIC Sunday, July 13, 5:00 p.m. Town Hall lawn Please bring your own drinks, a salad, side dish or dessert for 8 The town will provide hot dogs, hamburgers, buns and fixings, plates and plastic ware. Volunteers are graciously accepted; please call 301-320-4041