GAINESVILLE - Hall County Commissioners Friday afternoon adopted their no tax increase $89-million dollar FY 2013 budget that maintains county services and reduces county employee furloughs.
The vote was unanimous to adopt the budget, approve the 6.25 millage rate, the same as last year, and only three furlough days. Commission Chairman Tom Oliver said it was the real thing.
"This is for real," Oliver said. "I can assure you these are real numbers."
Oliver said the budget process was nicer this year than last year when the commission was split over how to deal with an $11-million deficit.
With the budget's adoption county employees are scheduled for three unpaid off days on November 21st this year, and April 15th and June 10th next year.
Human Resources Director Linda Pryor hopes the Commission can cut that number if revenues improve.
"Perhaps in the end, revenues might come in better and we wouldn't have to have those last two," Pryor said. "The schedule may also be changed by the Commission.
The budget also restores two percent of paid retirement beginning January 1st.
Pryor said the furlough day cut and restored retirement is a real boost to county workers.
"Many of our employees are not paid very high dollars and for them particularly this is going to be a wonderful thing and they're very happy about it," Pryor added. "We're taking this as a positive sign that we're going in an upward direction and that all benefits will be restored to former levels."
County Administrator Randy Knighton promised the Commission that he would provide oversight on the budget in the form of quarterly reports.
"This is another layer of oversight to assist us in assuring that we stay true to our budget," Knighton said. "This is an additional mechanism that we'll require of all departments on revenues and expenditures on a monthly basis."
Thursday
October 17th, 2024
3:32AM
