NATCHEZ — Preliminary figures presented in a budget work session Wednesday show that Natchez’s 2017-2018 fiscal year budget prepared earlier this tax season was mostly accurate and may require little change before a new budget for the 2018-2019 fiscal year is approved.

Upon review of the 2017-2018 budget, former city clerk Megan Edmonds proposed adding a little more than $15,000 to the budget to account for combined variances in the actual revenue and expenditures — that’s $15,000 in added revenue over expenditures.

“Overall we’re looking at a little over $15,000 — $15,044.94 to be exact — being amended within the general fund,” Edmonds said.

Alderman Dan Dillard said that with a $15 million budget, the recommended revision speaks volumes about city officials.

“The full budget is almost $15 million … what percent is that — like 0.1 percent (variance)? I think we’re doing pretty good,” Dillard said.

Edmonds said the city’s primary sources of revenue, ad valorem and sales taxes, may fall short of the amount budgeted by about $245,000, a difference that was made up for and then some throughout the budget process.

With the revision, officials predict the budget will show a surplus of $148,225.12 for the 2017-2018 fiscal year, with $14,918,469.06 in revenue and $14,770,243.94 in expenditures.

To compare that figure to previous years, the 2016-2017 actual budget showed a surplus of $628,286.86 after having a $1.4 million deficit in the 2015-2016 fiscal year.

“We are in pretty good shape as far as these proposed amendments paying out for us,” Edmonds said. “The consolidation of the jail was a huge benefit to the city with some of these shortfalls that we’ve had (in revenue).”

Edmonds said officials have no plans to adjust the city’s tax rates.

Natchez Mayor Darryl Grennell said the board plans to hold a budget hearing during their next regularly scheduled meeting on Sept. 11 before proposing a 2018-2019 fiscal year budget the following day.

No actions were taken during the budget work session.