Budget proposal delayed
By Melinda L. Lucas
Directors of the Shackelford County Hospital District met Monday with the intention of proposing a budget and tax rate for the 2022 year, but left after almost four hours with plans to work on the numbers again in a couple of weeks.
Board members spent some time working through line items in the district portion of the budget and later reviewed the clinic budget during a separate session, but because of time constraints, they decided to delay action.
Directors asked several questions about line items in the district budget, which includes the ambulance service and district-owned pharmacy, but felt that more work needs to be done before a final figure is proposed.
After checking on the time frame to get the budget and tax rate proposed with the required notice published, then adopt both before the end of September, board members opted to wait. They set another meeting for Monday, Aug. 30, when they hope to finalize numbers and vote on the proposed budget and tax rate.
There was no discussion of a tax rate, but the budget seems to be based on the No New Revenue (NNR) rate of 20.67 cents per $100 valuation, slightly more than the current tax rate of 20.05 cents.
The NNR rate, which last year was known as the effective tax rate, is the number needed to raise the same amount of total tax dollars as the previous year based on the same taxable property.
If the directors end up proposing the NNR rate, the hospital district will need to publish a notice before adopting the rate, but will not be required to hold a public hearing.
The board tentatively plans to adopt the budget and tax rate at their regular meeting date on Sept. 20.
Other Business
•EMS director Tina Ulbrich presented a new Armed Patient policy for the board to review, commented that a local EMT was assaulted last month, with a warrant issued for that person’s arrest.
•A motion passed to purchase time clock systems for the EMS and pharmacy similar to the one recently installed at the clinic.
•There was no action after two 40-minute closed sessions about employee evaluations.
