Board members of the Pride of Kinston agreed to a budget for the 2013-14 fiscal year in last week’s Board of Directors meeting, adjusting for lower funding being given to the organization.
The new budget will operate at $385,000, about $16,000 less than in the 2012-13 fiscal year. Pride director Adrian King said several factors contributed to the tighter budget.
“The hold harmless fund was eliminated, our loan repayment was increased and some projects can fluctuate with revenue,” King said. “We just have to adjust.”
In order to keep a majority of the services Pride of Kinston provides to the citizens, the board elected to save money anywhere possible. As a result, the Pride’s show on TACC-9 Community Television will be cancelled, the Run for the River event will be suspended and landscaping will be done bi-monthly instead of once a week. Also, hedges will not be trimmed due to lower funds.
The municipal service district took the biggest individual hit in the budget. The Pride of Kinston dropped its spending in that department to $60,000 for the 2013-14 fiscal year after operating with $102,000 in last year’s budget.
“We’re not able to do what people are accustomed to because we can’t afford it,” King said. “I didn’t like cutting things out, but there was no choice. You’ve got to make do with what you’ve got.”
Although there were many cuts in programs, the budget passed with little disagreement from board members. Pride Treasurer Kevin Zoltek worked on the budget the most, trying to figure out ways to maximize efficiency.
“The budget Adrian and I were on page with the budget for the most part throughout the process,” Zoltek said. “I read through the financial lines at least three or four times to make sure the numbers would work out.”
After going through the budget, the Pride of Kinston welcomed two new board members, as Bert Statum and Leraine Tolston were appointed to the committee. Harriet Harper — who has been with the board for six years — received a third three-year term from the committee.
There aren’t any new faces in the officers and executive committee. The head members will remain the same in the upcoming fiscal year, with the exception of the Past Chair Mark Herring. Herring declined nomination to fill the position and the Pride of Kinston is deliberating on finding a replacement or eliminating the title.
The next Pride of Kinston public board meeting will be held Aug. 29.
Junious Smith III can be reached at 252-559-1077 and Junious.Smith@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JuniousSmithIII.