Gilmer County commissioners passed a budget for 2021.
In a departure from previous years, the commission approved the maintenance and operations budget, the capital outlay budget and the debt service budgets separately. All passed unanimously at a special meeting Dec. 18.
Gilmer County Chairman Charlie Paris said he does not anticipate a millage rate increase next year because the budget is within revenue anticipations.
There is some increased spending in the budget, especially in the road department.
“With this budget, the equipment at the road department will be vastly upgraded,” Paris said.
Most of the increases come in the capital expenditures for the department. A total of $4,400,705 was added for equipment and maintenance.
Of that amount, $2,677,944 was set aside as a pot of money to be used to repair roads and bridges in Gilmer County. It is the first such set aside of county money which will become a recurring line item in the future, though the amount may change.
Which roads and bridges receive the attention will be prioritized in the coming year.
The remainder will be spent on equipment such as: two salt spreaders, a pothole patcher, a motor-grader, a tandem dump truck, a single axle dump truck and three pickup trucks.
Paris emphasized the county would not be incurring debt with the purchases.
Equipment upgrades should last the department for several years, Paris said. He did not anticipate the budget for the department being as high in 2022.
A 5 percent increase in pay is set for most employees as part of the budget.
The maintenance and operation budget for 2021 will total $23,767,875, and the capital budget will be $9,981,983. This compares to 2020 with a maintenance and operation budget of $22,504,395 and a capital budget of $8,957,353.