LINDEN-The Linden City Council took an early look at some of the plans for the 2005-2006 budget Tuesday and the news was positive.

City Administrator Cheryl Hall said things were looking good as the budget was put together. She said when money due to the city from FEMA comes in the city’s budget for the upcoming year will be in good shape.

“The revenue and the property tax are right on line with what they should be,” Hall said. “Right now where we should be at 75 percent our income is at 91 percent and that is allowing for some of that FEMA money to come in.”

The current numbers displayed in the budget how the city well ahead of their expenses. Hall said the preliminary numbers were definitely in the city’s favor.

“Our revenue is at 91 and our expenses are at 68 percent,” Hall said. “That puts us 23 percent ahead and $185,000 in the black right now. It is just a matter of getting money in and controlling what we spend.”

The Linden Volunteer Fire Department will benefit from their good fortune very soon. Council member Butch King said the department had come to the city some months ago to ask for help in purchasing equipment. Since that time the department had gained some funds through a private donation, but still needed some help in securing much needed equipment for their emergency operations.

“Chief Creel came to us a couple of months ago and told us the fire department needed some new hoses and other things,” King said. “We tabled it and they had some money donated to them and they asked us to help with the remainder of the money they needed.”

The money needed for the new hoses added up to only around $2,000 prompting the council to vote unanimously to help.