As a part of the agenda Monday evening at the Onaway city commission meeting the 2012-13 budget discussion began. City manager Joe Hefele presented the commission with a list of items he plans to have priced out for the budget workshop scheduled for Jan. 31 at 10 a.m.

On that list were 14 items that will have prices associated with them for the budget workshop at the end of the month. Hefele also asked the commission to give him any other ideas on things to price out before the budget workshop.

“I am quite sure that we will not have sufficient funds to purchase all of the items, and complete all of the projects, so you will need to pick and choose the priorities as you see them,” said Hefele.

The first item on the list was re-hiring Arnie Senff, a department of public works (DPW) employee who was laid off in 2011-12. The list includs projects as well, such as additional story at the DPW garage, new lights for Chandler Park, new lights for the courthouse, courthouse roof repairs, water projects on South First and Second Streets, street projects for Elm, Shaw, School, Fardon and Elsden, sidewalk for South Lynn Strret and improvements to the third floor of the courthouse.

Also on the list were many items for the DPW; mower decks for both the Kubota and Clipper, two push mowers with bags for M-68, a wood chipper and a leaf bag for the mower. For the police chief the list included new uniforms, ammunition and tires. Blighted property acquisition and demolition was also an item to explore as well as banners and flowers for M-68 and a sidewalk edger.

AT THE budget workshop at the end of the month Hefele plans to present a bare-bone operational cost budget to the commission as a starting place for all departments as well as a list of items and projects to consider. The commission will then be charged with making difficult decisions as they decide what to move forward with and what can wait.

“Funds are tight, which will make it impossible to accomplish everything. Some things may have to wait. We will have to estimate what we have to spend in 2012-13 and try to fit those things you view as most important into the budget,” said Hefele.

IN OTHER CITY COMMISSION NEWS:

• At a downtown development authority meeting earlier in the week Ryan Howell was elected as chairperson with mayor Gary Wregglesworth elected as vice-chair. The board also adopted a budget with the $1,400 expected from tax increment financing to go to banners and banner arms for the new streetlights along M-68.