Corbin officials say city operates without a line-item budget; vote needed on arena manager’s severance

Following a series of questions concerning the City of Corbin’s 2016-17 fiscal year budget and a severance package provided to former Arena Manager Connie Hunt following her recent resignation, the city’s attorney has stepped in.

In response to an open records request for a copy of the city’s line item budget filed by The News Journal, City Clerk Roberta Webb responded that “we don’t have a line-item budget,” and provided a copy of the one-page budget resolution that was read when the commission passed in mid-June.

The city has provided the News Journal a line-item budget, upon request, at least five times in the last six fiscal years. The document, which averages about 20 pages and gives a detailed accounting of planned spending in all of the city’s departments, is normally labeled a “budget report.”

In a follow-up phone call, Webb said she had spoke with City Attorney Bob Hammons who told her a city of Corbin’s size is not required to do a line item budget.

When contacted by the News Journal and told the city had provided copies of a line-item budget in the past, Hammons said the newspaper was entitled to “whatever was provided in the past” would be provided again this year.

As of press time Tuesday, the News Journal had not received a copy of the line-item budget.

When the city commission voted to accept Hunt’s resignation as Arena Manager at a special called meeting June 24, nothing was mentioned and no vote was made on a severance package.

But Sams confirmed shortly thereafter, via e-mail that Hunt, would receive three months of salary and compensation for any unused vacation days. However, there is no city funded extension of her health insurance.

The News Journal was the first to report on the severance package.

In response to an open records request, city officials disclosed earlier this year that Hunt’s current salary is $96,900 annually. Three months of gross salary would be $24,225. It is unknown how many, if any vacation days Hunt has remaining.

Hammons, who was not present at that meeting, said he was unaware of the package. He added Tuesday the package would be brought back to the commission for a formal vote at a future meeting.

Sams has refused to answer News Journal questions regarding the city’s budget and Hunt’s resignation.

The city commission is next scheduled to meet at 5 p.m. on July 18 at Corbin City Hall.