Commissioners propose budget
By Melinda L. Lucas
Even though Shackelford County commissioners did not have final tax rate calculations at their Aug. 14 meeting, they continued trimming the budget for the fiscal year that starts Oct.1 and filed a proposed budget as required by law.
Elected officials, who have met regularly over the past month to work on the document, will gather again Aug. 21 to look at tax rate options, then possibly propose a tax rate to go with the proposed budget, which county judge John Viertel points out is “a work in progress.” Adjustments to both sides of the document will likely be made before final figures are adopted.
Viertel hopes to adopt both the budget and tax rate by the Sept. 11 meeting, with a required public hearing to be held before that.
The proposed budget of $4,961,093 is $401,324 more than last year’s budget, with an expected $250,000 grant from the state making up a big chunk of that. The grant, which is intended to be “perpetual,” must be used to supplement salaries for the county sheriff, deputy sheriffs and jailers, and then other categories within the law enforcement department using specific guidelines, said Viertel.
The proposed budget also includes a 5% cost of living increase for county employees, as well as a 6% increase in the cost of health insurance provided to employees.
“We are also appropriating funds for large added responsibilities to the growing requirements arising from recent federal and state elections,” the judge said.
Information about tax rate options will be presented at next week’s meeting.
Other Business
•After a lengthy discussion with IT consultant Zac Fitzgerald, commissioners voted to update the phone system at a cost of $30,821, paying for it out of the current year’s budget.
•Viertel reported that WesTex Connect had agreed to pay $300/month retro-active to April 2023 for space on the county tower until WesTex’s new tower is complete. A motion included an increase to $400/month Jan. 1, 2024 and that WesTex is responsible for removing their equipment from the county tower.
•A request for $11,500 for several Shackelford County Historical Commission projects was tabled.
