Three measures were agreed upon -- eliminating the use of paper paychecks, estimated to save $16,740; eliminating one public works position at a savings of $12,801; and requiring city employees to take a two-week vacation, which would put $32,859 back into the budget. The savings for the three measures totals $62,400.

A variety of other suggestions were made, from taking money from the city's funded depreciation account to having the mayor and council take pay cuts.

City manager Ed Craig provided a list of possible deductions to the council, but stressed they were "not recommendations ... just stuff to throw out there."

Other ideas -- such as eliminating vacation buyouts over 500 hours; eliminating longevity pay for city employees, amounting to $35 for every year they are employed; and removing bonus vacation and sick leave for police and fire -- were rejected by the council.

Another idea to save money was to move the city's public works department to a four-day work week, which could save at least an estimated $50,000 in fuel costs, however no action was taken by the council.

Craig stated that $300,000 would be an "acceptable deficit" and that everything in the budget was in line, but the city needed growth in revenue to offset a 3.4 percent hike in expenditures.

One suggestion made by councilman Al Stephenson was to take money from the city's funded depreciation account and use it to reduce the deficit. That account is used to replace old equipment when it has reached the end of its projected life, for major repairs and road improvements around the city.

Shephenson's idea was to borrow the cash from those funds and replenish it the following year from the reduction in expenses in 2010 when the city has fully paid off the $500,000 recreation center loan payment.

If the council chooses this route, the city would simply budget the larger deficit, which would be around $586,000, and work through the year and take the reserves out at the end of the year, Craig said Wednesday.

Stephenson's idea met with opposition from councilman Randy Vernon, who said the idea was "not good business," to which Stephenson asked if Vernon wanted to raise taxes or not.

"Next year, 35 cents on the tax dollar will be back into the budget," Stephenson said, referring to the debt on the recreation center.

Vernon made a suggestion that the mayor and council "start with ourselves" and take a 50 percent pay cut, but that idea was met with silence.

Another suggestion made by Lee Roy Cunningham, which he said "would not be popular," was to hold back on a three percent increase in payroll. That idea also had no support from other council members.

In other budget related business, the council heard from various community non-profit and charitable organizations and agencies asking for contributions. A total of $142,100 has been requested, up from $106,829 last year.

A total of $130,500 was also requested from the Argie Cooper Public Library, who asks for the same amount from county government.

The council will meet twice next week to pore over the numbers -- Tuesday at 6 p.m. and Thursday at 5 p.m. before the regularly scheduled council meeting. Both gatherings will take place in the courtroom of the city hall annex (Shelbyville Police Department).