Budget Committee – SROs Are In – DOE Health Benefits & Personnel Possibly On The Line
Committee sends School Budget back for approximately $1.5 million in cuts.
The Jefferson County Budget Committee met on Thursday, June 13, 2013 in the Historic Jefferson County Courthouse. The Meeting was Called to Order by Committee Chairman Griffith. Absent from Roll Call were Committee Members Baxley, Cureton and Blevins. Sitting in for Committee Member Maples was Commissioner Kesterson.
Meeting Minutes, as amended, were Approved following a Motion from Committee Member Beeler and a 2nd from Committee Member Akard.
A request from the Environmental Department for a replacement truck for one that was totaled in an accident was Approved with a Motion from Committee Member Carmichael and 2nd from Committee Member Dockery. Insurance payment of $10,013 will be combined with fund balance to meet the total replacement cost of $ 25, 259.
Sanitation Funds 116 and 207 were Approved after being resubmitted with adjustments. The Committee discussed options to generate funds for the Sanitation Department, including raising of tipping fees. Recent loss of integral contracts has negatively impacted the Sanitation budget. Committee Members were informed that the Sanitation Fund Balance is around $250,000. Director of Jefferson County Finance Helton stated that additional costs associated with mandated post closure costs for the old site will be brought before the Commission at a later date. The Motion for Approval of the Sanitation Funds Budget proposal came from Carmichael and Akard. Committee Member Beeler withdrew a previous Motion to require all Jefferson County businesses to use the County landfill.
The Jefferson County Department of Education presented its budget proposal for the fiscal year 2013-2014, which included a $2,997,507 deficit. Committee Members discussed avenues for cutting expenditures that included changes or cuts to health care benefits and personnel cuts. Director of Schools Edmonds stated that 80% of the Department of Education budget is in personnel and that the DOE had State mandated salary increases of 1.5% for certified personnel, as well as a significant increase in health insurance of a little more than 5%. In regard to eliminating block scheduling and eliminating personnel, Director Edmonds stated that scheduling was driven by providing academic preparation for Jefferson County students and that Jefferson County only uses a portion of administrative positions that it is allotted by the State. Jefferson County Mayor Palmieri stated that many of the remedies that the budget committee suggested require long term planning and cannot feasibly be initiated for this budget session. He said that it is in the best interest of the County for the governing body to address the budget needs over the course of the year rather than only during budgeting season. Director Helton stated that it could be possible to use a combination of funding, including fund balance, increase in wheel tax and a smaller property tax increase to fund the budget request. Helton stated that fully funding the request with property tax would require around a 26 cent increase.
Committee Member Carmichael made a Motion to send the Department of Education budget back for cuts that would allow no more than $1.5 million dollar increase over the current year’s budget. 2nd by Kesterson and Passed with Carmichael, Kesterson, Dockery and Griffith voting Yes.
Upon a Motion from Beeler and 2nd from Akard the Committee Approved the 2013-2014 fiscal year Federal and Student Nutrition Budgets.
The Committee Approved $248,316 for 6 new SRO officers for the County elementary schools. The original Motion for funding came from Committee Member Dockery (2nd Carmichael) with the funding to be filtered through the Department of Education to reimburse the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department. It was amended by Beeler (2nd Akard) to go directly to the Sheriff’s Department and the Motion, as amended, Passed. With a Motion from Akard (2nd Beeler) the Committee Approved funding one SRO ($46,740) for the Patriot Academy. The remaining SROs will be funded through the Department of Education.
Jefferson County Building Inspector David Gaut presented information on the School Facility Tax and potential impact that is could have or has had on building in Jefferson County.
The Committee discussed the possibility of pushing the Regular July County Commission voting meeting back to July 30, to allow additional time for budget consideration.
The Meeting was Adjourned.
