The news was sobering for members of Tyrone’s Town council during the Feb.24 retreat in Peachtree City.

Town Manager Barry Amos told the Town Council that the town would face some sever financial constraints for the next budget year that starts July 1. Last year, the town used $472,000 out of reserve funds to balance the $3.1 million general funds budget. With housing starts having declined more than 50 percent in Tyrone this year, Amos said the town will have to make some decisions about balancing the 2008 budget.

Coupled with the decline in housing, the town is looking at hiring an additional seven personnel to meet the needs of the existing population. The town’s audit recommended that a further separation of duties occur in the money-handling department, so the town is looking at hiring a finance person.

Other positions include an administrative position in the police department, a public works person, two police officers and one full-time and two-part-time positions for the new library that will open at the end of this year.

Another hot topic for future personnel needs was a code enforcement officer. Amos said the town only needs a part-time code enforcement position, which makes hiring somebody “challenging.” One idea being floated is allowing the town’s police department to function as code enforcement. The Town Council agreed to look at that issue after a possible candidate for the position was interviewed this week.