Four of the five members voting during the Nov. 25 Buckley City Council meeting gave a thumbs up response to the proposed 2009 municipal budget.

Randy Reed cast the lone dissenting vote, having earlier voiced his opposition to the budget-building process.

There was a projected beginning fund balance of about $7.9 million with total projected revenues sitting at nearly $24 million. Projected expenditures are $18.1 million.

As with last year’s budget, police, jail and dispatch gobbled up half of the city’s budget pie with police taking the largest chunk of that trio at 30 percent.

The city’s police function has been able to offset its costs by renting jail space to nearby communities. During the meeting of the 25th, Police Chief James Arsanto announced renewed jail contracts with Orting, Algona, Pacific, Black Diamond, Covington, Bonney Lake, Carbonado, Wilkeson and several other surrounding cities and towns. The city collects anywhere from $57 to $60 per bed, per night.

A few other expenditures taking significant pieces of Buckley’s 2009 budget will be Finance and Administration (17.32 percent), Parks and Recreation (8.11 percent) and the Fire Department (5.96 percent).

John Leggett can be reached at jleggett@courierherald.com or 360-802-8207.