Flomaton Mayor Dewey Bondurant Jr., told members of the town council Tuesday that running a town is a lot like running a small business and there are times where money needs to be transferred from one account to another to pay the bills.
He noted his father started his business in 1952 and ideally you would keep money separated in different accounts. But he said there are times when money needs to be moved from one account to another to keep the business functioning.
“We don't know month to month,” Bondurant said of town expenses.
He said the town may be hit with unexpected repairs or other issues that require money from one account to be transferred to another.
“In a small business my daddy and I always had to do it,” Bondurant said. “If somebody smarter than me can show me how to do it different, let me know.”
“I'm from the old school,” said Councilman Buster Crapps. “If you don't have it, don't spend it. I believe in pay as you go.”
Crapps said he understood Bondurant's position, but said if money from water and sewer are used elsewhere it needs to be paid back to those accounts.
Councilman Jim Johnson noted the bills for December were about $15,000 down.
Mayor Bondurant asked for a motion to allow him to transfer funds to pay the bills. The council voted 4-1 to transfer the bills with Charlie Reardon, Lillian Dean, Johnson and Bondurant voting yes. Crapps voted no and Councilman Roger Adkinson was absent.
