Leitchfield's utilities budget remains on track with past years, but with less of a deficit in the first quarter than the same time last year.

City Clerk-Treasurer Kerry White said the first quarter deficit this fiscal year is $44,000, but stood at $79,000 in last year's first quarter report. He called this "typical, since most of utility expenses come in the first half of the year, then things even out as revenues catch up later."

He reported revenues stood at just over $1.2 million or 21 percent of the budget set earlier. Expenditures were at $1.3 million or 22 percent of budget.

The commission has launched an update of utility ordinances, and commissioners got the Water Department's rewrite Thursday to review. Commissioners said they would study the changes, but would not approve the recodification until all departments had been reviewed.

One requirement in the rewrite would effect major industrial uses of water -- installing up-to-code fire protection at an estimated cost of $1,800 per installation.

Mayor William H. Thomason, a member of the commission, stressed that major users should be contacted before the rewrite was approved.

"I think the city should be willing to help some with these costs," he said, "because the larger users have supported the city through taxes and fees."

Commission Chairman Bob Crawford directed Utilities Superintendent Eddie Miller to make the contacts to inform those that would require updates.

The commission cancelled its regular December 2 meeting and will reconvene on Thursday, Dec. 16.