Coweta County Commission will conduct a Sept. 16 public hearing on the 2009 budget that takes effect in October. As proposed, the $60.5 million 2009 General Fund budget represents a 1.5 percent increase, or $923,000, over the current year.

Revenues for 2009 totaled $60,503,600. Property tax revenues are projected to bring in $30.365 million, an increase of $1.8 million, while sales and use taxes will generate $19.28 million, a decrease of $719,000. Also showing a decrease were licenses and permit, dipping by $561,000. Reimbursement revenues, a budget category not included in the 2008 budget totaled nearly $1.7 million while Fines & Forfeitures totaled $4.671 million.

On the expenditure side, high ticket items included the Sheriff’s Office budget showing an increase of $1.147 million to $10.364 million, road construction with an increase of $1.4 million to $6.601 million, Public Works of $97,000 and Recreation at $920,344, a decrease of $95,000.

In information published on the county website, County Administrator Theron Gay said priority in preparing the budget was given to maintaining current operations, minimum increases in staffing to help meet demands caused by growth and mandates, a 2.5 percent cost of living adjustment (COLA) for county employees and the state-mandated COLA for Constitutional officers.

Up for consideration by commissioners are several new staff positions, primarily part-time jobs. Gay said he would support a part-time position (500 hours/year) for the Record Retention Center, three part-time records deputy clerks for State Court, six part-time firefighters, four additional 911 dispatchers and a student intern for the GIS Dept. Many of these positions will be paid out of other fund categories and will not impact the General Fund budget.

Gay said the proposed General Fund budget is a balanced budget. The recently approved millage rate included a rollback. He said the small increase in property tax revenues came from new growth in the county tax digest.

The total county value in 2008 topped $4 billion for the first time at $4.054 billion, up from $3.811 billion in 2007.

Commissioners in 2007 approved a one mill increase for residents, same as they had done in 2006. The 2007 millage rate for unincorporated residents increased from 6.15 to 7.15 mills while residents of the county’s incorporated areas saw an increase from 6.74 to 7.76 mills.

login to post comments