DALTON, Ga. — Saying they want to see if they can find ways to trim costs, members of the Dalton City Council voted 4-0 Monday night to table a vote on a proposed 2019 budget.

Mayor Dennis Mock typically votes only in the event of a tie.

That budget would see spending rise 6.87 percent to $34.6 million, up from $32.5 million in spending in the 2018 budget. The proposed budget does not include a tax increase.

“We had a lot of citizens coming to us, asking us to cut spending. I feel like it is our duty to take another look at the budget,” said council member Denise Wood.

Council member Gary Crews agreed.

“We have had a lot of citizens contacting us,” he said. “I believe we need to take their concerns seriously. We want to be able to find cuts where we can and be able to explain the dollars we do spend.”

Mock said department heads and City Administrator Jason Parker will go back over the budget looking for cuts. He said the council members did not set a timetable for them.

“It will take as long as necessary. We only have to adopt the budget before the end of the year,” he said.

The line item with the largest increase in the proposed budget, in percentage terms, is general government — buildings, which would rise to $768,610 from $255,000. Officials say the increased money would be used at City Hall to repair a leaky roof and buy a new heating and air-conditioning unit (HVAC).

The second-largest increase would be for technology, which would rise to $672,610 from $483,740. Officials say that increase would pay for a new information technology director position and new software and hardware.

Administration is slated to rise to $452,910 from $364,460. Officials say that largely reflects rising health insurance costs as well as the department’s share of a 7.1 percent increase in the contribution to the city’s defined pension plan. The plan is currently 82.35 percent funded and the city is working to have it fully funded in five years.

Funding for the police department would increase from $8.55 million to $9.25 million. Fire department funding would increase from $8.73 million to $9.11 million, and public works funding would rise from $7.61 million to $7.94 million.

Council members also voted 4-0 to approve a tax increment financing and development agreement with The Carpentry LLC, a company run by Kasey Carpenter, who owns The Oakwood Cafe and Cherokee Brewing + Pizza Company in downtown, which will open a new downtown, 31-room hotel, The Carpentry. The hotel will be where a former bank building sits unoccupied at the corner of the 200 block of West Cuyler Street opposite of both of the restaurants.

Because the project is in the downtown tax allocation district (TAD), it is eligible for TAD financing. In effect, the tax revenues on the property will be at what the property was worth when the TAD was created. Any additional revenue collected as a result of an increase in the value of the property will reimburse Carpenter for improvements to the property. If the tax revenues do not increase, he will get no money.

The maximum in tax revenue that could be paid to The Carpentry LLC for the development during the 15-year period would be $476,000.

Council member Annalee Harlan said she believes the hotel will be the first project in downtown to get a TAD agreement.

“I think that now that Kasey has done this and shown people that there is this tool available for projects in downtown it will create interest,” she said.

Council members also held the first reading of an ordinance moving the starting time for sales of alcohol by the drink on Sunday from 12:30 p.m. to 11 a.m. Voters in Dalton approved a “Sunday brunch” ballot referendum by 2,501 votes (68.02 percent) to 1,423 votes (31.98 percent) in the Nov. 6 election. The council is expected to vote on the ordinance in December. It would become law five days after the council approves it.

Council members also voted 4-0 to:

• Start the application process for some $5.6 million in federal funding for a five-year capital improvement plan at the Dalton Municipal Airport that would include improvements on the apron, the part of the airport where planes are parked, unloaded and loaded, refueled and boarded. The city would have a local match of $988,350 if it receives the funding.

• Approve a five-year, $212,000 contract with Axon of Scottsdale, Arizona, for 90 new Tasers for the police department. The contract includes all repairs and any equipment needed for the annual training and officer certification with them during that period. The department is replacing Tasers no longer covered by Axon for maintenance, insurance and parts and accessories. The department will pay the first three years of the contract on the front end with money already in its budget from vacant positions.