The Greenville City Council approved its 2008-09 fiscal year budget with a 5-1 vote at 12:30 a.m. Friday, setting the city tax rate at 52 cents.

Freshman Councilman Max Joyner Jr. voted against the budget because of his opposition to a $250,000 transfer of storm water enterprise money into the general fund.

The council also delayed action on a request to change the city's definition of restaurants. The council's Thursday meeting, which started at 7 p.m., spilled over into Friday morning because eight public hearings were held.

The council also had a lengthy discussion about changes to the city's garbage collection policy, one of eight other items scheduled for action on the agenda.

The $95.2 million budget included the addition of one part-time and 10 full-time police positions and a recreation and parks position.

No discussion was given to a proposal to hire a new EMS unit for Greenville Fire-Rescue, a request Joyner made Monday.

City Manager Wayne Bowers recommended hiring the unit's staff during the 2009-10 fiscal year.

"If we keep pulling money off this fund like this ... we'll never have money for these projects," Joyner said.

Transfer troubles

The debate about the budget, which began about 10 minutes before midnight, focused on a discussion about the storm water transfer.

Another freshman councilman, Calvin Mercer, defended the transfer. "It seems a no-brainer to me to [transfer] overhead to an enterprise fund to reflect the true cost" of operating a storm water improvement project, he said.

Bowers proposed the transfer to reflect the cost incurred by offices such as personnel and information technology to operate the program.

Joyner said storm water revenues should be used only to improve storm water infrastructure.

Bowers recommended against pursuing an increase in fees charged by the building inspector's office, a suggestion Joyner made Monday.

Defining 'restaurant'

During the Thursday night part of the session, the council heard from people supporting and opposing restaurant owner Jeremy Spengeman's request to change the city's definition of "restaurant."

Spengeman owns Dr. Unk's Oasis, located in the Tar River-University neighborhood.

About 30 people turned out in support of Spengeman, including members of Harmony Church, which have been using the restaurant for its services.

One man said he thought the restaurant improved the safety of the neighborhood because it scared troublemakers away from a nearby parking lot. However, several other individuals said the restaurant created a noise problem and brought criminal activity into the neighborhood.

Originally, Councilwomen Mildred Council and Rose Glover made a motion to approve the change. As other council members discussed their reluctance to support the motion, because it would change the definition of restaurants citywide, Glover proposed the delay.

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