, Fayette County commissioners are looking for $376,000 they can cut from a proposed $48.6 million fiscal year 2000 budget after granting Sheriff Randall Johnson part of his personnel request that had earlier been cut.

The Sheriff's Department had originally asked for $8.96 million, a 21 percent increase over its 1999 budget, and county fiscal staff had slashed that to $8.15 million, a 10 percent increase. Thursday, after hearing that calls for service already have increased by almost 18 percent so far this calendar year, commissioners went halfway and tentatively approved a 15 percent increase in the department's budget, to $8.52 million.

The additional $376,000 will have to come from elsewhere in the budget, commissioners said.

Two more work sessions are scheduled, with plans to adopt a budget at the commission's June 24 business meeting: June 16 at 4 p.m. and June 22 at 4 p.m. If needed, the group will meet June 24 before the regular meeting at 7 p.m.

, The city of Fayetteville struck out in its requests for funding from the county Thursday. City officials asked for $50,000 to put early 20th century-style street lighting around the County Administrative Complex as part of its downtown revitalization program, and for $10,766 to help pay for a traffic light recently erected at Ga. Highway 85 and Ramah Road, but facing a budget shortfall, commissioners said no.

“We simply don't have the funds right at this moment,” said Commissioner Glen Gosa.

Back to News Home Page | Back to the top of the page