A city committee was split Monday on whether to fund the Keep Kenosha Beautiful coordinator’s position, but supported putting additional money into the city’s transit department.

The moves were part of Kenosha’s Finance Committee’s review of the entire city budget on Monday night. The meeting was still going on at press time.

Transit funding

Though the Transit Commission last week recommending cuts to bus service, it urged the Finance Committee and City Council to find additional funding to avoid the cuts.

Monday, the Finance Committee voted 5-1 to add $107,000 to the transit budget.

City Administrator Frank Pacetti said the original budget proposed reducing costs by cutting streetcar service from January to March, eliminating a dark position and estimating less cost for overtime, fuel and seasonal pay.

“We had a road map to get to $135,000,” Pacetti said.

Kenosha Mayor Keith Bosman proposed delaying the vote, and having further discussion on the budget, until today.

Transit Director Len Brandrup said the budget was an attempt to meet the direction the department was given.

Keep Kenosha Beautiful funding

The committee will send forward no recommendation on the Keep Kenosha Beautiful budget after votes on the group’s overall budget — particularly the funding for a coordinator’s position — both ended in a 3-3 tie.

The Board of Park Commissioners earlier recommended cutting the $39,220 in salary and benefits estimated for the approximately 30-hour-a-week position. The coordinator supervises volunteers for the organization.

Several Kenosha residents and Keep Kenosha Beautiful volunteers voiced their support for the position, held by Catherine Mantuano.

“It’s a large effort, and it needs coordination,” said Lynda Guy, a volunteer with Keep Kenosha Beautiful.

“You can call up an all-volunteer army, but you still need officers to send them in the right direction.”

Bosman and Pacetti said it was unclear how Keep Kenosha Beautiful would be organized without the position.

“We have nobody that could step into this position,” Pacetti said. “I do not know how you coordinate all those volunteers.”

Alderman David Bogdala said the proposed cut would not eliminate the work of the group’s volunteers.

“That commission should continue and will continue,” Bogdala said. “But we need to figure out where to put our resources.”

Alderman Katherine Marks said there was public support for keeping this position.

“The value of this position is priceless,” Marks said.

Alderman Eric Haugaard said it was hard to justify funding the position in light of other cuts, but the position could be restored in 2011 if it is determined to be necessary.

Aldermen Anthony Kennedy, Tod Ohnstad and Marks voted to approve the original budget, with no cuts to the coordinator’s salary, while Aldermen Dan Prozanski, Bogdala and Haugaard voted against the proposed budget.

Prozanski, Bogdala and Haugaard also voted to eliminate the salary and benefits for the coordinator’s position, which the other three committee members opposed.