The budget committee has come up with a balanced budget and a tax rate of $2.18, the same as this year, but they still want to find some money for youth activities – the Boys and Girls club in Benton and the swimming pool in Ducktown. One more meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 29, at 7 p.m.

The regular monthly meeting has been moved from June 18 to June 29 at 7:30 so the commission can vote on the budget before the fiscal year begins July 1. The committee recommended giving the school system about the same amount of property tax money as this year, not enough to fund a requested 1% pay raise for teachers.

There are no pay raises in the general fund, either, other than a state-mandated increase for the Sessions Court judge. The state is not giving any raises this year, so there is no mandate for an increase for elected officials, as is often the case. The budget includes one new position – an assistant for the Budget Director, who is dealing with a growing number of new state requirements for budgeting and financial matters.

All commissioners were present for last week’s budget committee meeting, with began with the need to find $15,572 in cuts or revenue. The discussion continued on a suggestion made earlier by John Pippenger, who said it would make sense to have a dedicated fund for Sheriff’s Department vehicles, using revenue from the jail commissary and telephone fees. He explained later that this fund would also cover existing leases so it would not take that much money out of the budget. Mark Bishop said it is better to keep the cars as a regular line item in the budget, noting there may be times when the county can’t afford a vehicle rotation. Pippenger said then the county ends up needing four or five vehicles. “We have to keep cars on the road,” he said.

Greg Brooks said it’s more affordable for now to lease cars rather than buy and Bishop agreed, even though a lease ends up costing more. There was agreement that money allocated to purchase one car this year should be used instead to lease two cars, as was done last year.

Bishop pointed out the total jail budget is $1,848,160, plus the $495,000 bond payment, noting the total expense is worse than he thought. He noted the revenue for housing state prisoners, budgeted for $1 million, helps to offset the expense.

Bishop asked Budget Director Rachel Rogers to check on the cost for insurance on the newer fire trucks, noting they should be covered. He also said there’s a need for a shed for the East Polk ladder truck, which currently sits outside the community center.

To balance the budget, the commission cut the travel allocations for the Assessor of Property and County Clerk, reduced the anticipated cost to Drug Court, and lowered the allocation for several maintenance/repair categories in the Sheriff’s Department and jail.

The committee had not discussed the request by the Boys and Girls Club, which was given $12,000 last year to help keep it operating. Bishop said help is needed, noting there are 45-50 kids there every day, getting help with homework, working or playing on computers or other activities. It was also mentioned that the county does not provide any funds to help with the pool at the community center in Ducktown.