Austin City Council members cut the proposed 2012 budget by another $5,500 at Monday night’s meeting.

Rather than reduce the tax levy by $5,500, though, council members chose to put the money in the city’s contingency fund — a fund used primarily for emergency expenditures or long-term, in-house projects.

Finance Director Tom Dankert suggested placing the money in contingency because the fund is about $18,000 short of what is needed for 2012.

Monday night’s cuts were saved by the decision to give KSMQ $7,000 in 2012 as opposed to the proposed $12,500.

Council members voted individually on 13 different requests for funding.

All but KSMQ and the city’s annual volunteer recognition event were funded at the proposed amount; council members chose to delay voting on the funding for the volunteer event.

The City Council considered eliminating the city’s membership with the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, a lobbying group that charges about $46,000 a year in membership fees. Eliminating the membership has come up as a potential money-saving move in past meetings, and once again council representatives voted to remain a member of the group.

“I think it would be silly to drop it,” Mayor Tom Stiehm said. Stiehm said the fiscal return Austin gets for its membership in the lobbying group is worth the $46,000 in dues.

“I think it’s sad that we have to pay money as a governmental unit to lobby another governmental unit,” council member Jeff Austin said.

Council members voted 4-3 in favor of keeping the city’s membership.

Budget discussions are expected to continue at the Oct. 3 work session, according to city officials

Votes:

Volunteer Recognition Event, $800 proposed, No vote yet
Human Rights Commission, $3,500, Approved 7-0
Welcome Center, $5,000, Approved 7-0
Memorial Day Mayor’s Wreath, $150, Approved 7-0
Fourth of July Celebration, $6,000, Approved 7-0
Christmas in the City, $855, Approved 6-1
Community Band, $1,000, Approved 5-2
Local Artist Annual Art Award, $500, Approved 6-1
Austin Symphony, $2,500, Approved 4-3
Employee Appreciation/Wellness Program, $1,500, Approved 7-0
Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities membership, $45,605, Approved 4-3
League of Minnesota Cities membership, $16,000, Approved 7-0
KSMQ, $7,000,  Approved 5-2