LAKE PARK — Lake Park City Council approved the town’s 2022 budget at a special meeting Tuesday.

The vote was 2-1 for a budget of $716,115, an increase of more than $107,000 from the 2021 budget of $608,563.01, according to a worksheet provided by the city.

The meeting was held Dec. 14 instead of the customary first Tuesday of the month, Dec. 7, because of a council member’s absence due to a family emergency that left the council without a voting quorum.

Among some of the budget breakdowns:

— the budget for judicial and law enforcement needs was set at $242,300, up from the $228,254.04 budgeted in 2021;

— The fire department got $63,900 for 2022, down from the $70,922.95 allocated in 2021;

— Public works was given $173,056 for 2022, up about $60,000 from the 2021 budget;

— Parks and recreation was budgeted at $11,800.00 for 2022, an increase of $700 from 2021.

Several Lake Park residents asked questions during a public forum part of the meeting, wanting to know when the proposed budget had been made available for public review and what certain budget lines that were crossed through meant on the budget’s worksheet.

A copy of the proposed 2022 budget had been available in the city hall lobby since late November and the crossed-through lines were items whose monetary amounts could not be lowered, City Clerk Tabitha Fowler said.

Council also discussed an ongoing request from the Norfolk Southern railway to close two crossings in the city.

The railway has been in discussion with council for two years about the possible closings, said Connor Spielmaker, a spokesman for the railway.

“We have identified some of the least-used crossings, and Clayton and Essa Streets are two places we can make safer with minimal disruption,” Spielmaker said. “With two less crossings, that means less opportunity for an incident to occur.”

The two sites are low-use and there are other crossings nearby, he said.

Council discussed whether to hold a public hearing on the railroad matter. Residents who spoke at the meeting opposed the closings; one claimed to have a petition against Norfolk Southern’s proposal with more than 100 signatures.

Council members took no action on the railroad crossing matter.

For the second month in a row, the council was unable to appoint Lake Park’s member for a zoning board, as no one could be found who wanted the position.

The council also unanimously approved an update for the South Georgia Regional Commission’s comprehensive plan, which deals with several subjects affecting Lowndes County and the municipalities inside it, including broadband services, transportation, land use and housing.

Council decided to let a new city council in January work on making any final amendments to the current 2021 budget. Council members Tom Barr and Carl Taylor lost reelection in November and will be replaced in January with Oscar Griffith and Michelle Lane.

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.