Without hesitation or discussion, the Covington city council unanimously approved the 2012-2013 budget.
Revenues are projected to be $124,396,355 while expenditures are expected to be $123,491,864. The surplus will be devoted to employee retirement, the cemetery trust and net surplus.

Mayor Ronnie Johnston gave his thanks to the team who put the budget together over a six-month period.

"This is my first time going through the process with this group and city administrators," Johnston said. "I just want to thank Leigh Anne [Knight, finance director] and everybody for the hard work they put in. I've been told it has been one of the toughest years that we've had to deal with and everybody did a really good job."

The budget will be posted at city hall and online.

City to allow firearms to kill rodents
The council conducted its first reading of an ordinance which would allow for residents within the city limits to use a firearm to kill rodents.

Councilman Chris Smith asked to add raccoons and armadillos to the list of rodents.

Councilwomen Hawnethia Williams and Ocie Franklin both expressed concern about the safety issues a firearm might pose in the densely populated city.

City to replace light fixtures in downtown
The council voted in favor of replacing and installing 80 roadway flood lights and 12 street lights.

The council voted to replace the lights after residents complained about how the old lights which were installed in 1993 were not projected as well anymore.

The roadway flood lights are $340 each and the street lights are $136 each. The money for the lights has already been budgeted.

Roadway lights will also be installed around the Bypass Road area.

In other news
The council voted to add a fee for probationers for their supervision. The $1 charge for every hour of probation will be tacked onto their fine.

The council is working with the Recreation Commission and Main Street program to host the opening ceremony of the Dixie Boys World Series on the square in August. The commission estimates that approximately 2,000 people will be in attendance from 11 states. The council approved the closing of Usher Street and Stallings Street for a fireworks show.