Stephens Co. Holds First Public Hearing On FY 16 Budget

Stephens County Commissioners move one step closer to adopting the county’s Fiscal Year 2016 budget.

The county commission held a first public hearing on the proposed budget Tuesday.

Nobody from the public spoke during the hearing on the budget, but Stephens County Administrator Phyllis Ayers did give a summary of the proposed budget.

Ayers said the Fiscal Year 2016 budget totals about $21.62 million, with about $12.97 million of that in the general fund budget and about $5.3 million in SPLOST funds.

The general fund is about $70,000 more than what was budgeted last year.

According to Ayers, the proposed budget calls for a .25 mill decrease, taking the county’s millage rate from 13.66 to 13.41 mills.

She said savings accumulated this year are being held over to use in next year’s budget in order to help make that millage rate happen.

Ayers also said that the proposed Fiscal Year 2016 budget includes a pay raise for county employees.

“I think we are very happy to announce that for the first time in many years that we are going to ask for a 2 percent COLA (cost of living adjustment) for government employees,” said Ayers.

Meanwhile, Ayers said that the proposed budget calls for an increase in the contribution to economic development, as well as increasing the amount of contingency money budgeted from $250,000 to more than $400,000.

“That is mainly coming from our jail budget is a lot less than normal because of significant attrition and a significantly lower number of inmates,” said Ayers, who added if the jail needed the money, they would provide it out of contingency.

Ayers said that contingency money can also come in handy to help cover unexpended costs.

For example, she said the state’s new transportation legislation, House Bill 170, could have multiple effects on the county budget.

However, Ayers said those effects are not known fully at this time, so they are hard to budget for.

The county commission is expected to vote on the county’s Fiscal Year 2016 budget at its next meeting on June 23 following a second public hearing.

Fiscal Year 2016 starts on July 1.