It has not been an easy series of discussions for Fisher County officials during this year’s budget preparation, and decisions were no simpler in the court’s final budget meeting on Monday, where Fisher County Judge Ken Holt was forced to cast a tiebreaker vote for adopting both the 2021 Budget and this year’s tax rate, which goes onto effect next month.
The courtroom was as full as COVID-19 guidelines would allow when the commissioners met in regular session on Monday, as county officials spent over three hours crunching numbers and debating the merits of pay increases associated with the upcoming budget cycle. This comes on the heels of a controversial specialcalled meeting in late August, where commissioners’ comments about possibly eliminating raises the court earlier approved were perceived by many county employees as threats to their job security.
Commissioners did not actively engage in this fiscal year’s budget discussions until July when the court discussed whether to continue to budget for the county jail. The Jail depopulated in March and is currently housing local inmates in neighboring Scurry County.
The jail has operated on a reduced staff since that time, the department will begin filling vacancies in the months to come with the goal to reopen in 2021. Sheriff Allen Arnwine said he is in the hiring process for new jailers and hopes to have them ready in the short months to come. He admitted his fear at this point was whether the new hires will only be replacing employees his department was concerned about losing pending the court’s decision on salaries.
Fears of jailers not receiving the two-dollar per hour pay increased the court approved last month were put to rest, as it would take a two-thirds majority to overturn that decision, which opponents could not provide. The court also approved a two-dollar increase for the County Judge’s administrative assistant and a one-dollar per hour increase for all other assistants.
In his opening statements, Judge Holt commented on how the nature of prior budget discussions have created low moral countywide. Commissioner Preston Martin agreed with the Judge that there were significant moral issues amongst the employees, but it was caused when Holt opposed an across-the-board cost of living increase. “That’s where the strife started, right there,” said Martin.
It was Martin that proposed the court consider a 5% salary increase for all county employees in early August, which Holt was opposed to. Although Holt agreed to the consideration of merit raises as well as a salary increase for jailers in the hopes of better employee retention.
Martin illustrated his point by when one employee is granted a 16% salary increase when other employees receive no additional pay, it creates hard feelings among employees and taxpayers. Martin was referring to the Judge’s assistant, who is budgeted to receive a roughly $4,000 annual increase in pay, which a majority of commissioners have publicly commented was a deserved increase with no opposition.
Additionally, Martin rejected Holt’s proposal on Monday that the court approve a one-dollar per hour increase to all other employees not affected by the original round of salary increases.
He explained that Sheriff Arnwine forfeited his $10,000 insurance benefit to make the budget work, and by reducing travel budgets by $500 and commissioners declining last month’s $5,000 increase to their part-time employee budget would be tight but balanced. “We will still be within budget, and everyone will have a raise,” said Holt.
Martin, however, expressed concerns that if raises are granted this year and oil prices continue to drop, the county could face layoffs next year. Commissioner Kevin Stuart echoed those concerns saying, “We’re going to have considerably less money next year that we do this year, and if we give it now, it’s going to cost somebody their job next year.”
This is an unlikely scenario given the county’s current financial standing and the projected future revenues.
At the end of 2019, Fisher County generated a roughly $260,000 surplus and reported over $3.5 million in its fund balance. This unassigned fund represents 113% of the total general expenditures, equaling approximately 13 months of operating equity.
Additionally, the County received approximately $580,000 in wind farm payments, and County Attorney Michael Hall informed the court next year's payment would be in excess of $600,000. The county is also looking to receive additional revenue through a second wind-farm agreement, as that $325 million expansion project is expected to come online soon.
Nevertheless, the first round of calls for a vote died for lack of a motion, Commissioner Gordon Pippin said he simply did not see any real concerns with money next year and motioned to grant the dollar raise for deputies, road hands, and elected officials, but it too died for lack of a second.
Pippin went on to make a motion to ratify the tax rate at .757704, which is a 3.75% increase over last year, which received a unanimous vote in favor of the tax rate. His later motion to adopt that tax rate was met with silence, and Commissioner Dexter Elrod admitted he was unsure of the tax rate or its impact on the county.
This was met with outbursts from citizens who were confused by the court’s reluctance to approve adopting a tax rate it just voted unanimously voted in favor of ratifying. Holt agreed, ultimately having to break the tie in favor, as commissioners Martin and Stuart voted against adopting the rate.
Pippin’s motion to adopt the proposed budget with no new raises also died for the lack of a second. As the court was mandated to adopt a budget during the meeting, the commissioners went back to work, taking several lengthy breaks to calculate and recalculate budget proposals, between rehashing arguments from meetings prior.
After a review of recalculated numbers, Pippin’s motion to approve the aforementioned salary increases associated with the FY 2021 budget took a second from Holt to call for a vote. As commissioners Martin and Stuart again voted in opposition, Holt’s vote was necessary to break the tie in favor.
In total, the court approved more than $700,000 in additional expenditures over last year — including a 5% salary increase for elected officials — and reduced Fisher County’s estimated surplus on the $5.2 million budget to approximately $5,000 at the end of fiscal year 2021.