Gilmer County commissioners used a special meeting to nail down the final loose board on the 2023 budget.
A total of $146,000 was the final sticking point going into the meeting Dec. 28.
Gilmer County Chair Charlie Paris was in favor of funding the final bit from the unallocated fund balance, which stands at $13.8 million.
“This is the budget I personally favor,” he said.
Paris said $146,000 was not much to pull out of the fund balance, and it was a proper use of the funds.
Post Commissioner Karleen Ferguson, in what will be her final meeting on the board, said she favored the budget as well.
“I don’t favor it,” said Post Commissioner Hubert Parker. “I just don’t think it is responsible to do it.”
Revenues are projected to increase 20 percent in the 2023 budget, he said. Parker believes the county should be able to fit spending in with the increase.
“I think we have to bite the bullet,” Ferguson said.
Paris and Ferguson both argued the increase in spending, which includes salary increases, nine new positions in the fire and EMS budget and six new positions in the sheriffs office were necessary responses to the growth the county is experiencing.
“We increase the fees to bring in more money from construction, but we all understand that is not nearly enough to accommodate the growth we have to have in county services to accommodate all the new subdivisions,” Paris said. “I look at this as just being phase one of what is going to be a yearly thing for several more years.”
He clarified the yearly thing would be growth in county services, not pulling from the fund balance.
“I think we are going a little bit overboard,” said Parker.
He said new positions were needed, but he thought it could be pared down some to accommodate the budget.
Paris said they had already cut $1 million out of the budget at this point.
“Out of what people requested, not out of the budget,” Parker said. “There is a big difference there.”
Paris said the last time he combed through the budget he could only find $35,000 to cut.
“I’m worried about us being able to keep up with the growth that is coming,” he said about the added positions. “I don’t want to get caught with our pants down, so to speak. I would just rather we plan for it.”
Gilmer County Financial Officer Sandi Holden came up with a compromise. She suggested moving the $150,000 out of the funding for the construction of the pool into the parks and recreation budget, Then, if needed the $146,000 for the pool could come out of the fund balance if needed.
The remaining $4,000 was added to a contingency fund.
Parker agreed this was a better use of the fund balance than using it for a recurring expense.
“Let’s not lose track of the fact that we still have an expenditure budget that is big,” he said.
An advertisement for a public hearing on the budget is in this week’s newspaper. The hearing will be held at least seven days after the advertisement, and the meeting to adopt the budget will be at least seven days after the public hearing.
Until the budget is adopted, the 2022 budget is extended with state mandated salary increases.
Gilmer County’s maintenance and operations budget for 2023 will be $39,921,978. This is $8 million more than the $31,783,762 for 2022.