By Rebekah Martin
Associate Editor

The Opelika City Council unanimously voted to approve the city’s Fiscal Year 2017 budget at last week’s meeting.
City administrator Joey Motley presented the proposed budget at the Aug. 30 special called meeting, giving council members the opportunity to discuss and ask questions.
“It is a balanced budget, the numbers are just a little bigger than they were last year,” Motley said. “All that hard work and all the growth, all the new businesses, all the people working in Opelika paying occupational tax, we’re seeing it come in this year. We’re seeing a good growth in our revenues and projected revenues.”
The city’s projected revenue is $129 million, an increase of about $8 million from FY 2016.
Also during the meeting, Mayor Gary Fuller took time to recognize citizens who volunteered their time and resources during the Ward 1 Neighborhood Pride event held Aug. 20.  Residents of Ward 1 gathered together to pick up trash, trim tree branches and cut grass in a effort to clean up the area. The following people participated in the event: Willie George White, Arthur Lee Jones, Issac Nunn, Mr. Lorenza Jones, Kennard Jones, Robert Smith, Lori Burks, Ambriah Edwards, Deloris Jones and Valestine Penn.
In other business the council:
-approved a resolution extended Terry White’s employment contract for 3 years.
-Approved special appropriations to Opelika City Schools and the Opelika Chamber of Commerce.
-awarded a bid to Asplundh Tree Expert Co. for tree trimming services for Opelika Power Services.
-awarded a bid to East Alabama Fire Protection for the city’s fire extinguisher maintenance.
-approved a request by Gateway Food Mart for a retail beer and wine off-premise license.