The city will have to find $103,489 to balance the proposed budget after council tonight scrubbed a proposal for a fitness center and monument sales and left in a full time position in planning and development proposed to be cut.

Roanoke Rapids City Manager Paul Sabiston said following tonight’s council meeting he  would have to look over the figures again before making a decision on where the money would come from.

The city is already pulling $200,000 from its fund balance to help balance the proposed $15.3 million financial plan.

The vote to take out the fitness center and monument sales was unanimous while the vote to reinstate the position in planning and development was split 3-2, with council members Greg Lawson and Ed Liverman voting against the motion made by Suetta Scarbrough.

Sabiston said before a public hearing on the budget, in which three people spoke, the city was not trying to put anyone out of business. “It’s OK either way. We’re going to keep going on with what we do. Maybe today is not its day.”

Lawson said he would like to see the center and monument sales taken out. “We’ve been able to restore some services,” he said, including restoring Saturday library hours. “That’s minimal cost. I think we need to be conservative. I think this is something we can’t afford right now.”

Liverman said the city is entering into economic uncertainty and said the city tried not to make decisions centered around the Roanoke Rapids Theatre. “There’s no way around it,” he said. “The theater is entering another period of uncertainty. We need to look at finances, if this is a luxury or necessity.”

Councilman Carl Ferebee said the budget process this year has been trying. “We do need to look for revenues. I’ll go along with council on the fitness center and headstones. That doesn’t need to be at the cemetery at this time. They need to stay with the funeral director.”

Ferebee said he didn’t believe the city should be borrowing money for a fitness center. “I’m not sure a fitness center would benefit all.”

Ferebee told council the city needs to look at all the revenue it can get from the theater. “This year we’re looking at taking it on ourselves. I think we need to leave negotiations open.”