Budget Committee Meets During Blackout

Committee Members carry on with meeting with aid from mobile devices and flashlights

Budget Committee meeting, Tuesday, May 21, 2013 – Staff Photo by Jeff Depew

Despite the loss of power early in the evening, the Jefferson County Budget Committee met on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 in the Historic Jefferson County Courthouse. Commissioners Blevins was absent and Commissioner Kesterson sat in for Commissioner Maples.

The Committee deferred budget action on the Libraries Fund, the Financial Management Fund and County Building Maintenance Fund. Due to salary increases in the Libraries Fund, the Committee requested more information on the issue. County Building Maintenance budget was presented as carrying the utility costs for EMS and the Finance Office, in an effort to streamline utility costs. The Committee requested that the utility costs be separated, to allow for ease of tracking. 2013-2014 Budgets were submitted by Department Heads and most were preliminarily approved as presented. Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department Budget showed an increase of $276,807, however data processing and one SRO position will be reimbursed to the Department. The majority of the increase was in gas and salary lines. Previously the Budget Committee instructed Department Heads to include a 2% raise for employees in their budgets. According to Budget Committee Chairman Griffith, most have struggled to make enough cuts to include the raises without a budget increase. Departments heavy with personnel have had the most noticeable increases. The Sheriff’s Department Budget also included replacement of 8 road officer vehicles. $215,000 needed for SROs for six elementary schools in the County was not included in the budget presentation. Director of Jefferson County Finance Helton stated that the School Board had not, yet, made a request for SRO officers for the six elementary schools and that the Department of Education budget, which would reimburse the Sheriff for the SROs, may not be able to support such a request. Two SROs are funded through the Sheriff’s Department and the remainder is funded by the Department of Education. The Ambulance Emergency Medical Fund will begin replacement of heart monitors to control outlay over the next eight years.

Budgets that were given preliminary Approval were-Agricultural Extension Fund, Soil Conservation Fund, Veteran’s Service Fund, County Mayor Fund, Election Commission Fund, Zoning Compliance Fund, Maintenance Garage Fund($2,000 movement from parts line to vehicle line), IT and Technology Fund, Circuit Court Fund, General Sessions Court Fund, Chancery Court Fund, Juvenile Count Fund, Sheriff’s Department Fund, Jail Operations Fund, Workhouse Fund ( with a total of a $20,000 decrease), Building Inspection and Regulation Fund, Rabies and Animal Control Fund, Ambulance Emergency Medical Fund, Transfer Out Fund and Board of Equalization Fund.

In other action, the Committee Approved a request from the Department of Education for $70,643 from their Fund Balance for a 10% match for an E-Rate Technology grant.

County Departments not addressed will be rolled to the June meeting of the Budget Committee, where non profit requests will be reviewed.