MOULTRIE, Ga. — The Moultrie City Council approved its 2019-2020 budget and a slightly lower millage rate to fund it Tuesday.

The anticipated .01 mill decrease of the millage rate received its third and final reading, and approval, which officially sets it at 9.750.

The council also approved a resolution to adopt the 2019-2020 budget, yielding an estimated $49 million for the respective year. The budget will take effect when the fiscal year begins Oct. 1 and will end Sept. 30, 2020.

In other action Tuesday:

• A $36,668 bid for a six-inch DOT trailer-mounted solids handling pump from Thompson Pump and Manufacturing Company was approved.

Director of Utilities Elvira Gibson said the pump helps especially in large water main breaks.

“The pump can actually move that water out of the orifice we’re creating to repair the water line, so the workers can work safely,” she said.

This isn’t a new device for Moultrie. “Big Bertha” handled the city’s pumping needs in years prior but was retired in 2018 when “she couldn’t be repaired,” said Gibson.

She planned to order the pump the day after the meeting and said she hopes it’ll be here within the month.

• In the “Citizens to be Heard” portion, citizens took the time to thank the city for bringing Greyhound back to Moultrie after years of asking.

John Bridges specifically thanked City Manager Pete Dillard, but said everyone should keep persevering in continuing to update Moultrie.

“It takes someone to initiate and it takes the rest of us to support that in order to make things happen,” he said. “If they say no, we don’t quit at the first no; we go back again.”

The next city council meeting will be on Tuesday, Oct. 1, at 6 p.m.