Special meeting on July 25th to address salary increases
DOUBLE MOUNTAIN CHRONICLE
The Fisher County Commissioners met last week, where among current budget decisions like a budget amendment for the Sheriff's Office vehicles, the court shared preliminary discussions, which included possible salary increases that officials were hesitant to promise without hard numbers. As certified values are not expected to be released until next week, commissioners are planning a special meeting to ensure the county keeps pace with a series of deadlines as the end of the fiscal year approaches.
As FY 2024 nears an end, county officials are looking at what remains in this year’s budget and are working to put pen to paper for next year. However, with certified tax valuations still under wraps until July 25, future budget planning is little more than educated guesswork.
Fisher County Auditor Becky Mauldin informed the court that the county is looking outstanding as it nears the end of the current fiscal year, which expires at the end of October. However, with 66% of the budget already spent and only two months left in the fiscal year, the county is in good financial shape as the budget year ends.
As a result, Mauldin assured officials the county could cover the expenses associated with a proposed budget amendment for the purchase of a Chevrolet Tahoe police package costing $33,000.
The Sheriff proposed moving funds from the inmate medical budget to cover the new vehicle expense. There was $15,000 left in the vehicle budget, requiring an amendment of $18,312 to cover the total cost.
Sheriff Tom Pohlman explained that unlike vehicles purchased in the past, this truck is about 80% outfitted and will be similar to the chief deputy's vehicle. This requires minimal additional funds for lights and other equipment, and as these vehicles are mostly used by supervisors and have low mileage and slow speeds, yet with a police package installed, they hold up better than current stock pickups.
The court agreed to approve the purchase of the new vehicle and the transfer of funds to cover the cost. The court was less agreeable when hearing the proposition from Bridger Anglin, the director of collections who has been working with Nolan and Mitchell counties for several years to collect court fees and fines.
Anglin said 32nd Judicial District Judge Glen Harrison asked him to speak to the Fisher County court about offering his services for collecting a range of court costs and fees through a variety of methods. However, officials agreed that the cost versus the anticipated benefits would likely not be worth the expense.
Fisher officials did express an interest in a trial run of the program, implementing it on a case-by-case basis for the next quarter. Anglin, however, was reluctant to agree to the county’s proposal.
Sam Goldsmith from Goldsmith Solutions was also present to answer any questions about the IT-related budget plans. He reminded officials that many of the county’s most significant IT improvements were completed during the 2019-2020 timeframe. Some upgrades were planned for five, eight, ten, or even 25 years, including fiber and cable installations.
Goldsmith pointed out that those on the five-year plan are now coming to an end. As the five-year mark approaches for computers and the county's server, Goldsmith proposed a capital expenditure plan to address the replacement of items on the five-year cycle.
While recommending the county address as many areas as possible, the cost could be spread over two years, emphasizing the importance of not ignoring PC replacements, Wi-Fi upgrades, and other issues long-term, informing the court that upgrading computers to comply with Windows 11 by the October 2025 deadline is a mandatory requirement.
Another important deadline the court considered was the notification of officials about a proposed 5% salary increase across the board. Fisher County Auditor Becky Mauldin said this increase would cost the county roughly $80,000, although based on current financial data, she did not anticipate being a significant expense for next year’s budget.
The county is also evaluating the impact of the recently passed circuit breaker on tax revenues, anticipating a possible 20% decrease due to that tax cap. Official numbers will be released on July 25, the deadline for the CAD to release certified valuations. Commissioners agreed it would be unwise to approve the raises before knowing the certified numbers to avoid financial strain.
Mauldin noted the tight schedule to hold a meeting on the 25 and notify officials in the same day, but Commissioner Evans stressed the need for accurate information before making decisions.
“Tight or not, we don’t need to make a decision without seeing the numbers is the ultimate thing,” said Evans. “We can sit here and speculate all we want, but without physical evidence in hand, we’re not making the proper decisions.”
Fisher County Judge Ken Holt said he agreed with Evans. Holt also has a short deadline in the days ahead, having to file a proposed county budget by July 31. County officials plan to reconvene on July 25 when the certified values are available, though the start time for that meeting is yet to be determined.