Budget Season Begins
Budgeting season for the fiscal year 2016/17 kicked off on Tuesday evening, February 16, 2016 with an organizational meeting of the ten member Budget Committee that will be bringing a recommendation before the full County Commission body in June. The Budget Committee is comprised of 10 County Commission members representing the 10 voting distircts in Jefferson County, with members of the committee serving two year terms. During their four years of service on the County Commission, each member (excepting White Pine which has three representatives) will do a two year stint on the Budget Committee. The 2016/2017 fiscal year is the second budget year for members of the committee, as they served last season as well, and in September they will pass the fiscal baton to their district counterparts who are currently serving a rotation on the Nominating Committee. Members of the current Budget Committee are Commissioners Kesterson, Gaut, Musick, Tucker, Solomon, David Seal, Blevins, Turner, Beeler and Scarlett, who serves as Chairman. Ex Officio / Non Voting Members of the Committee are Jefferson County Mayor Palmieri and Jefferson County Finance Director Potts.
Tuesday’s meeting saw the committee establish a meeting schedule and approve budget assumptions, which were presented by Director Potts. The assumptions, which include a zero based budget, are the guidelines that County and School departments will use in preparing their budget requests for submission to the committee. Individual department heads will meet with Potts and his staff to ensure that the assumptions are met before submission and that their budget requests are in line with guidelines before presentation to the Budget Committee. Some discussion centered around the directive, as listed in the assumptions and guidelines, that employee raises were not to be a part of the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. During the current fiscal year, County Commission instituted a 5% employee raise to bring some lagging salaries up to standard pay for this area. Commissioner Tucker stated that he has concerns with not addressing raises if there are still employees whose salaries are not up to standard pay for their position and would rather see small increases than large jumps that are more difficult to fund. Commissioner Turner concurred, though several Commissioners stated that they are comfortable with the directive to department heads to not include raises in the budget request. David Seal made a Motion to accept the assumptions and guidelines as they were written and was 2nd by Solomon. Commissioner Turner offered an amendment that would allow the lead way for the inclusion of pay raises but not in the original budget request. He was 2nd by Tucker, but the amendment Failed with only Turner, Tucker, and Gaut voting in favor. The original Seal/ Solomon motion was approved 9-1 with Turner voting No.
In other action, the Committee approved various general housekeeping budget amendments on both the County and School side, as well as one with fund balance impact from the Highway Department. They also discussed the Tax Relief Contribution for Seniors, Disabled and Disabled Veterans. Currently the County has a 100% match for State dollars in the Tax Relief Program. During the 2015 year, the State contribution dropped $12, which along with the County contribution, meant a total of a $24 drop for the Disabled and Seniors. Disabled Veterans saw a $440 drop in funding. County Trustee Ginger Franklin explained the reason for the drop in funds as being related to the tax rate that is set by the State and fluctuates from year to year. Last year it dropped so the contribution also dropped but the value of the contribution remained level. She said that in the past the State contribution for Disabled Veterans generally paid most, if not all, of the individual’s tax bill meaning that the County’s contribution, which is a last dollar contribution, was small. However, with the drop in State funding, the County will be picking up more of the Disabled Veteran’s bill with County dollars. The numbers for the 2016 year’s contribution from the State are not in yet and, according to Franklin, most of the tax bills for 2015 have already been paid. The Trustee stated that the contribution of County money matching State funding at 100% was set by County Commission Resolution in 2010 (for the 2011 year) and would have to be changed by Resolution.
The Budget Committee, with a Motion from Seal and 2nd from Kesterson, Approved a decision to not hear from non profits that were not a part of the list from the last budget season. Those that were considered for funding, regardless of the level or absence of funding, will still be eligible for consideration at the discretion of the Budget Committee.
Larry Masters appeared before the Budget Committee to request the continuation of funding for a GIS website for the public. According to Masters, previously the Commission funded $6,000 from their own budget line item for a GIS website but the controlling company went defunct in 2013 and the site has been dormant. A consortium that includes local utility companies, municipalities and County departments will provide the information for the site and requested that the County reinstated payment of $6,000 per year. Masters stated that the site will be used to promote economic growth in Jefferson County and will be multi functional. The cost of the site is $6500 per year and the consortium will pay the additional $500. Commissioner Turner made a Motion for Director Potts to see if he can locate the funds ($6000) and, if they can be located in the line item, for them to be used to pay for the site. He was 2nd by Beeler and the Motion Passed.
The Budget Committee will be meeting several times between now and June with the intention of presenting a budget for approval of the full County Commission on June 20, 2016. The current fiscal year ends on June 30, 2016.
