City council seeks outside advice for budget

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Facing a tough budget year, the Terre Haute city council is looking for outside advice. Since last year the city council has questioned the financial future of Terre Haute. As they prepare for a rough 2013 for revenue, the council decided to add another financial consultant.

    
In a meeting last week the city council voted unanimously to move 20,000 dollars out of the city controller’s budget to bring in a consultant. City council members I spoke with said they are worried about the city's finances.
    
Early estimates on the city's revenue could be less than last year. They say they just want to have someone to help them to better understand the situation the city is in.
    
We sat down with Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett to find out what this means for the city. He said the city already has two independent consultants that he works with.
    
But from what he can tell, this independent consultant will work with the council independently.

"What they've decided as a council is to have someone to help them,  to work with them to learn more about the budget  to figure out what questions to ask,” Bennett explained.

The city council has not hired the person yet and they are going through the process of developing what they are looking for in a consultant.
    
But it will still be some time before they make their hire.