NATCHEZ — An old and damaged senior center may take a bigger bite out of the City of Natchez’s budget in the coming fiscal year.

Natchez Senior Citizen Multi-Purpose Center Director Sabrena Bartley requested Thursday during a budget meeting with city officials that the city put more money into the center’s repairs and maintenance fund.

Mayor Butch Brown, Ward 1 Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis, Ward 2 Alderman Ricky Gray and City Clerk Donnie Holloway attended the budget meeting. The officials are meeting with department heads this week and next week to finalize a budget for the 2013-2014 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.

Bartley said the fund, which has been $6,000 for the past 10-12 years, needs more money to handle ongoing maintenance to the building.

The mayor proposed that $19,000 be added to the repairs and maintenance fund, putting it at $25,000 for the year.

Brown said, however, the city needs to have a professional look at the building and estimate costs of repairs.

Bartley said leaky air conditioning units on the second floor have damaged the ceiling of the main floor.

Brown also requested that Bartley have Entergy and Atmos representatives come to the center and inspect meters and other equipment to ensure all are working properly. Brown said he would like to know why the gas and electric bills total $100,000 a year.

Bartley and Holloway speculated that the bills are expensive because the building lacks insulation.

The total proposed budget for the senior center is approximately $317,000, an approximately $36,000 increase from last year’s budget. The increase is mainly attributed to the added maintenance funds and gas and electricity costs.

Brown, Arceneaux-Mathis, Gray and Holloway also reviewed budgets for parks and recreation and appropriations.

The city’s recreation budget will remain about the same as it is this year at approximately $1.1 million.

The city’s appropriation to the Natchez City Cemetery is increasing from $39,600 to $72,000.

Brown, whose wife, Shields, is on the cemetery board, said the cemetery is having financial troubles and needs more funding to continue operations.

Brown said in exchange for the proposed increased funding, the cemetery board has agreed to raise its fees for plots, cremations and other services.

Brown noted the cemetery has a limited amount of space open.

“People wanting to (be buried in the cemetery) need to be willing to pay an increased fee,” he said.

Proposed appropriations for other organizations remained the same as the current fiscal year and include $6,000 for veterans services, $25,000 for the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society and $2,000 for the Watkins Street Cemetery.