The latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Heartland

KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- The City of Kirksville is getting close to having its 2013 budget all wrapped up by Christmas.

At Monday night's Kirksville City Council meeting, members unanimously approved the first reading of the nearly $33.3 million budget following a brief public hearing.

No citizens spoke during that hearing.

The budgeting process started back in August, and city officials have been going over more than 1,000 city accounts since then.

The 2013 budget contains some good news for everyone who works for the City of Kirksville.

"City employees will receive a 2.5 percent cost-of-living increase,” said Katie Myers, Kirksville finance director. “They did not get one in the year 2011 so it is getting them back to where they would have been if they had gotten that cost-of-living increase."

That increase is set to go into effect January 1, 2013.

At its December 17th meeting, the council has to vote one more time to approve the city budget for 2013.

Kirksville's fiscal year is the same as the calendar year.