VINTON — The village of Vinton faces a long battle as it attempts to dig out of a financial hole.

During a finance and street committee meeting held Thursday at the Vinton Village Hall, newly appointed Fiscal Officer Brenda Burris told the committee members that the village started out the year with $165.75 in the general fund.

Burris then proceeded to read off a list of overdue unpaid bills totaling $8,665.63. She said the phone bill has not been paid in three months and service was scheduled to be disconnected.

In addition, $2,873.19 was garnished from the village’s state income tax for non-payment of PERS and the village used the remaining funds to pay half of the electric bill, which still has a balance of $1,300.

“We inherited this,” said Council Member Charles R. Easter. “Everyone’s trying to pitch in the best they can.”

According to Easter, most of the village officials have asked that they not be paid until the budget issues are cleared up.

The village, according to Burris, has no investments on which to fall back.

In order to cover the annual sewer payment to the USDA-RD of $38,361, the payment for the village’s sewer construction, the village had to request special permission to use $8,364.94 from the debt service reserve account. They agreed to reimburse the account at the rate of $320 per month.

Mayor Lance Brown attributes some of the sewer funding problems to residents who were supposed to hook onto the system and did not, driving the cost per resident above what was expected.

The council plans to approach the Gallia County Board of Commissioners for assistance.