FERNDALE — The Ferndale City Council voted unanimously on Monday to approve its 2015 operating budget, planning to spend $8.5 million from the general fund and, as it stands, pay for an $18,000 deficit out of the reserve balance, which stands at $1.3 million.
The council voted last month to raise the Ferndale portion of the local property tax by 1 percent through banked capacity. A 2 percent hike, dipping into banked capacity, could have eliminated the current deficit.
Councilmember Jon Mutchler initially moved to transfer $18,500 from the solid waste fund in order to eliminate the deficit. That failed 6-1.
