(KAIR)--Atchison city officials are moving closer to approving a budget for 2015.

City manager Trey Cocking presented his recommended budget to Commissioners during a meeting Monday afternoon, one that he says addresses several goals previously set by officials. One of those goals is to insure the economic vitality of Atchison. Cocking says they will be concentrating on two areas in relation to this goal. For industrial development, the city is trying to aggressively market the new land at the Shannon industrial park, as well as providing $50,000 over the next five years to the new Next Generation Incubation center.

For retail development, officials want to fund a strategic retail study to figure out how to best approach retail. Cocking says that Atchison is struggling to do this, along with other cities and towns of a comparable size.

Cocking says the budget also includes plans to improve the quality of life in the city. The city is adding additional funds for sidewalks as well as repainting the water tower at the intersection of Fourth and M Streets. The ozone system at the water treatment plant will also be competed within the next year, so residents will soon see a big improvement in the smell and taste of the city's water.

Cocking adds that another big item reflected in the proposed budget is the full compliance of the 1993 sales tax. He says the city is going to use it's excess sales tax dollars to fund the city trash service, so residents will no longer have a trash bill.

Commissioners now have until July 28th to submit any amendments they may have. The budget will be published for public viewing Wednesday with the public hearing scheduled for August 4th.