The Lincoln City Council adopted its 2008 preliminary budget at Thursday's meeting.

Auditor Melanie Chaska calculated that the number of mills levied on Lincoln taxpayers will drop from last year's 74 mills to about 60.

The budget includes salaries for two full-time maintenance operators, auditor, deputy auditor, building inspector and three police officers. Added during the meeting was a part-time seasonal position at $10 an hour.

Lincoln has two full-time police officers, and a try to add a third this past year didn't work out. The department will again look at adding a third in 2008. The maintenance department has a full-time employee and a full-time seasonal employee.The city will expand the seasonal position to an annual full-time employee.

Mayor Glenn Christmann asked that $5,000 be put aside so it can be used to participate in match-grant projects. He said that most federal and state projects require a local sponsor match, and Lincoln often cannot participate because of a lack of matching grant money.

Chaska said that property values in Lincoln increased nearly 10 percent this past year with the total taxable value of the community put at $3.43 million. The auditor said that the 14-mill reduction will nearly offset the property tax valuation, though she expects there will still be a modest increase in tax bills for the city, which she has yet to calculate.

The council expects to adopt the final 2008 budget at its meeting in October. The mill levy is to be turned in to the county auditor by Oct. 10.

In other action the council:

3 Approved an increase in the amount it charges to put additional sheets of mailings in its monthly billings. The city will charge $50 to stuff 700 envelopes with the correct number of copies that are folded; $75 for copies not folded; and $100 if only one sheet is provided and the city does the copying and folding.

3 Approved an increase in council salaries. The mayor will receive $120 a month and council members $100 a month.

3 Approved the annexation of the Wheatland Hills Addition.

3 Heard developer Scott Bierle's interest in buying a city lot, on which he wants to build a strip mall with an automated car wash and perhaps a fast food store. Bierle also is interested in buying a second lot, on which he would construct a city building and lease it back to Lincoln. The council took no action.

3 Approved participating in an aerial picture project with the Metropolitan Planning Organization.

3 Approved Mike Boutrous' request to move a building onto a 40-acre lot he owns adjacent to Lincoln Road. Boutrous will use the building to store equipment for his business and also for an office.

3 Approved the purchase of a snowgate for the city's grader at an estimated cost of $7,500 from North Products Inc.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@;bismarcktribune.com.)