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Tuesday, May 3, 2011 – 2:00 p.m.
Commissioners Meeting Room, Courthouse Annex
I. CALL TO ORDER .......................................................................... Chairman Doug Mangham
II. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA - (O.C.G A. 50-14-1 (e) (1))
III. COUNTY MANAGER’S COMMENTS ................................................................... Bill Sawyer
• Budget Overview and Q/A Session
IV. COMMISSIONERS’ COMMENTS
V. ADJOURNMENT
This meeting was attended by all five Commissioners, County Clerk Teresa Watson, County Manager Bill Sawyer, and County Attorneys Rob and Tom Morton. Some very good questions were asked. Some questions about cutting more than what is in this proposed budget or making changes to the budget as has been presented by the County Manager.
This budget was presented at the Pike County Board of Commissioners meeting on April 26, 2011. The current budget is $9,642,598. The new proposed budget is $8,777,300 with a reduction of $865,298.00 or 9.8%. The County Manager stressed at the past meeting that Commissioners have the final say on the budget.
Copies of the proposed budget for FY 2011-2012 are available for viewing at the Board of Commissioners Office located at 79 Jackson Street in Zebulon and at the J. Joel Edwards Library located on Highway 19 South in Zebulon.
A Budget Hearing is scheduled for June 8, 2011 at 1 p.m. and the first and second readings are scheduled on June 15, 2011 at 1 p.m. and June 22, 2011 at 6 p.m. with Final Adoption of the Budget on the third reading scheduled for June 28, 2011 at 5 p.m.
A copy of the proposed budget cuts can be viewed by clicking FY2011-2012BudgetCuts.pdf. A copy of the budget worksheet with requested budget amounts and recommended amounts by the county manager is available at budgetworksheet5.9.11.pd.
It is important to note that Recreation has a proposed reduction in salaries for three people--not maintenance as I scratched out on the pdf sheet. There are several job positions that are looking at being cut. Some completely and some to part-time.
These numbers are not going to make a whole lot of sense without a budget to look at. The proposed budget should be released on the Pike County Government website sometime soon.
[Note from the Editor: I was very disappointed that there was no powerpoint presentation and there was no paper copies of the budget for citizens to follow along as the budget was presented. That made it difficult for citizens to keep up with what was going on. Furthermore, the commissioners did not seem to be advised of the budget process prior to the meeting. It was explained during the meeting how they could make changes but I would have thought that as smoothly as our commission meetings have been going, that this would have been done prior to the meeting too. I know better than to assume anything and I still made two assumptions on this meeting! I guess this is a moot point now though. Maybe it will improve for next year.]
Readers can see the proposed changes for now. This is not final. The Commissioners can make changes as they see fit.
Update 5.7.11:
The Commission went through the budget line item by line item. Here are some of the highlights that will not be seen in the pdf file. In the Board of Commissioners line item, Commissioner Tamra Jarrett asked if the increase in travel was because of training and the answer is yes because she and Commissioner Bass are not certified commissioners but will work towards that in the upcoming year. Food and vending was discussed. Coffee and water for both the Courthouse and the Commission office were discussed. Both were left in the budget. Increase of $5,000 in Professional Services Attorney to cover the possibility of lawsuits that require outside representation--not Morton and Morton county attorneys. The insurance carrier has the ability to appoint outside representation if needed. We paid $10,000 last year.
Discussion on the Elections budget included having someone approach the Board of Education to ask that they subsidize their own election if they don't already. The County Manager (CM) is going to check on this. Commissioner Carol Bass was going to reduce the Elections line item by $6,000 but was advised by the CM that Judge Brandenburg asked for an extra $6,000 because he had to have two sets of ballots drawn up. Commissioner Bass' recommendation was to stay with the amount and still pursue the Board of Education for reimbursement.
Dept 14 Registrar's Office - The state of Georgia requires one registrar and two others in the office which we have. The reduction in time for early voting will reduce costs to the county.
Dept 16 Tax Commissioner - Discussed why she needs two printers (different printing requirements) and that the State of Georgia has reduced the amount of funding to this dept that it had been giving to the county. Rent, utilities, etc. have been left in the budget for next year even though the renovation of the courthouse will be going on because we will have costs for this regardless of where the offices are.
Dept 17 Tax Assessor - Commissioner Carol Bass asked about keeping John Peavy in this dept. The CM said that he could be removed by asked whether the same job will be done that is being done now? Commissioner Bass advised that when she was on this board, she thought that this office was going to train to eventually wean off of his services. County Attorney Rob Morton advised that he thought Mr. Peavy was going out to do his work and then discussing all final analysis in the office with everyone so they are in training that way.
Dept 18 Building and Grounds - If two positions are eliminated here, the CM advised that Public Works will do repairs and some of us will have to learn how to take out our own trash.
Dept 21 Clerk of Superior Court - CM advised that he had already discussed the elimination of a clerk position already and said that the state of Georgia is no longer providing the copier for this dept.
Dept 22 District Attornery - This is based on case load and population.
Dept 23 Magistrate Court - Advised that the Deputy Magistrate Court Judge must remain and that one clerk position was reduced last year.
Dept 32 Inmate Care - $32,000 reduction. Sheriff can't control people being sick. Commissioner Bass stated that this dept has already gone over this year but nothing was added.
Dept 33 Sheriff - $88,444 removed which is the equivalent of the three lowest paid deputies. This is in anticipation of attrition. Replacing the motors in the cars will be done in the county to reduce cost instead of getting new cars.
Dept 39 Ambulance - CM advised that Mid GA Ambulance agreed to a reduction of $55,000 through the license fee, etc. He said that was appreciated.
Dept 42 Public Works - $55,000 is owed to this dept from Impact Fees that can be put into this dept at any time. Suggestion to look into putting calcium chloride on 5 or 6 roads.
Dept 46 Keep Pike Beautiful - KPB gave back their operating money already and has talked with the BOC about being dissolved. This requires no more funding and will be on the next BOC meeting.
Dept 54 DFACS - CM said that they have eliminated one position and that they have been real good at working with us.
Dept 61 Recreation - One of the recommendations made by the County Manager was to cut three positions (not maintenance positions) but three positions out at the Recreation Authority. I was advised by email this morning by Kevin Teate, Director of the Pike County Parks & Recreation Authority, "The parks and recreation board was presented at our regular meeting in April with several options in an attempt to balance our budget for FY 2011/12. No action was taken at that time. Our next meeting is scheduled for next Monday, May 9th." He also said, "We have already made some cuts during this fiscal year in response to the budget cuts in February and these will continue throughout the next fiscal year." When speaking to him by phone this morning, I was advised that, "The Parks and Recreation Authority is working very diligently to deal with the projected budget figures that have been given to us by the County Manager." He went on to say that the PCPRA is working to be good stewards of the money that is given to them by the county and hoping to deal with the projected budget cuts without a loss of personnel--though everyone there understands that the possibility exists. [Note from the Editor: How I understand this process works with the authority is that the county decides how much to fund this authority and the authority decides how to work within the amount that is given to them.]
Dept 65 Library - Found funds for paving the parking lot and ADA requirements in Impact Fees. Discussion about being open on Saturdays when they are closed now. Consensus to send a letter to the Library Board to be open at least 1/2 day on Saturday.
Dept 71 Water Authority - Self-sustaining except for loan payment.
Dept 72 County Agent - This is for 4-H as well as the county. We were paying 1/2 of his salary and Lamar County was paying the other 1/2. One full-time worker was reduced to 3 days per week. The County Agent has since resigned.
Fund 270 Fire Department - $202,205 removing equipment and $177,990 removing bunker gear. Any fire fund balance--including the $220,000 currently sitting separate in the General Fund--will roll into the General Fund at the end of the year. The question was asked what happens if Meansville Fire Dept becomes a part of the Pike County Fire Dept--will this money be used for that? The reply was yes. [Note from the Editor: Basically the $220,00 that is sitting separately in the General Fund--if it's not used for upgrades to Meansville if needed--will be rolled into next year's fire dept budget of $300,000. My understanding of the Fire Fee was that it was to remain separate and be not allowed to roll into the General Fund at the end of the year because this was tried last year too. (I need to find my copy of the fire fees ordinance, but the BOC could pass something else to make sure this is done so that is really a moot point. They are getting around this by making sure that the funds are used for the fire dept.) The remaining funds at the end of each year were supposed to be be set to the side to plan for growth--like the need for a new Fire Station in the south end of the county in case Meansville decides that it will remain separate from the county fire dept--or take care of needs for our fire department that worked so hard to get the county's ISO rating lowered. I would hope that what is being done is being done legally--and I've been told that it was--but I have to state clearly that there are times that what is legal and what is right are not the same thing. I think this is a big gamble and it's wrong. And I have to point out that my insurance rates went down almost $300 per year since our ISO rating went down. Anything that might jeopardize that ISO rating is not ok with me. Anyone who would like to see an itemized needs list of the fire dept including air packs, parts, etc. can specifically request past Fire Chief Snyder's itemized 2011-12 Budget from the Commission office.]
Update 5.9.11: [Note from the Editor: When the Fire Fee Ordinance was rescinded and the new Fire Dept ordinance was adopted into our Code of Ordinances, this changed what could be done with the money that is left in the Fire Fund. I still do not agree with the gamble that is being take with the south end of the county or with our fire dept needs or the ISO rating. Even if we can't plan for the future with these funds, we can make sure that we do not go backwards as a county.]
Health insurance was discussed at several points during the meeting. It was negotiated to a new rate by changing carriers. A 28% would have happened if we stayed with our current carrier. It was bid out and the lowest price from 6 carriers resulted in a 9.57% increase. Employees currently pay a 15% monthly contribution to their healthcare with the county paying the final 85%. An 80%-20% split was discussed briefly at the end of the meeting but it was said employees haven't had anything but step raises over the past 4 years so Chairman Doug Mangham and Commissioners Tommy Powers and Don Collins said that they were against even discussing this. Commissioner Tamra Jarrett asked for the comparison to be drawn up between the two plans and Commissioner Carol Bass said that she supported Tamra looking into this. CM Sawyer said that now is not the time to charge employees any more money on their insurance. Commissioner Don Collins said that the county has cut the number of employees and is running as close to the bone as we can. Said that the county has been asking county employees and departments to do more with less and that maybe another time to look at this but not now.
Commments at the end: Commissioner Collins commended CM Sawyer and those who worked with him on the budget. Said that he saw no reason to go forward with this. Commissioner Bass said that this year's budget is only $82,000 less than last year. Update 5.10.11: Commissioner Carol Bass actually said that the revenues are down so much that it only reduced the property tax line by $82,000. (Sorry for not stating this more clearly. Budgets are not my cup of tea...) She asked about cutting more, but CM Sawyer said that without knowing property values, the county has to take numbers that we think are fair and reasonable. Said that we have gotten rid of as many people as possible but have a county run. We either have to adjust spending or adjust the millage rate. Said that the taxpayer in the county has suffered enough and that the county has cut almost a million dollars. Said that there was no fire fee on the bills so bills will be $50 to $100 less for each taxpayer. Reiterated that the State of Georgia cut the Homestead Exemption Tax Credit. Commissioner Powers said that he feels the CM has done a good job under the circumstances. Commissioner Doug Mangham commended the CM for the job done and the long, hard hours. Commissioner Tamra Jarrett said that she appreciated the work and the easy to follow format. Said that it was a tough decision to look at cutting. CM Sawyer said thank you to Teresa, Kay, and other staff officers who did a lot of hard work. Said it was a good budget and that there is more work to do.
Motion to adjourn at 4:20 p.m.