By Jason C. Mattox

After an early morning meeting Saturday, the Town of Como once again has a balanced budget.

The meeting was requested by Mayor Pro Tempore Dr. Forster Ruhl who is serving in the capacity until a special election to fill the unexpired term of the late Mayor Judy Sumner can be held.

“You all should know that our town clerk and I met throughout the week and we have come up with a balanced budget,” he said. “We did make a few cuts, but we got it to where it needed to be.”

Ruhl explained that the salary that had been approved for Sumner was removed but the aldermen’s pay remained.

“We will probably have to revisit this again in the future,” he said.

Town Clerk D. Scott Rhines pointed out that Como had received a $40,000 technology grant through the COPS grant program.

“That means money that we did have budgeted for equipment and technology in the PD can be spent elsewhere in the budget,” he explained.

Among items added to the budget will be the salary for Town Attorney Parker Still who had been working free of charge for the past year; $10,000 for vehicles in the Police Department, two new bulletproof vests, and funding for repair to the sewer lagoon and new meters in the water and gas departments.

“I think we had gotten so used to having to find things to cut that it can be difficult to find ways to spend it,” Ruhl said.

Aldermen approved the amendments and are expected to vote on the budget Feb. 2.