Commissioners propose budget, tax rate
By Melinda L. Lucas
Following a series of budget workshops over the past month, Shackelford County commissioners met in a regular session on Monday morning, Aug. 16 to propose a deficit budget for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1 and a tax rate that promises to raise “no-new-revenue” (NNR) for the upcoming tax year.
Several parts of the proposed budget were discussed in depth on Monday, including increasing county employee salaries by five percent, accounting for an additional $67,420, not including retirement, Social Security, and Medicare costs.
Also discussed was the salary structure for Xavier Perez, who began his elected duties as constable in January, in a position that has been vacant for a number of years.
Treasurer Tammy Brown contended that moving the $5,000 projected fee portion of the constable’s budget up to the salary line essentially adds up to a 55 percent raise for the peace officer in comparison to the five percent being given to other employees.
The proposed total of the salary line is $15,500, compared with $15,000 for both lines in the current year.
Precinct 1 commissioner Steve Riley commented that “I think he deserves it, and I will stand behind it 100 percent.”
Precinct 2 commissioner Ace Reames asked for clarification that Perez would now be paid a flat salary rather than receiving a portion of the fees he collected.
“I want to be an asset to the county, not a drain,” commented Perez, who stated that he had collected $5,844 in fees the first six months of the year, as well as serving as a reserve deputy when needed.
After discussion, all four commissioners agreed to leave the salary line item as it had been adjusted in the workshops.
Along with the salary increase for all employees, expenditures include significant increases in health insurance, insurance premiums on buildings and vehicles, redistricting costs, and a new LEC maintenance agreement, as well as a few other line item increases.
The expense side of the budget totals $4,401,613, $98,642 more than last year’s adopted budget, while a projection of revenues is $4,287,210.
Although tax valuations for the county declined nearly $16M, the county’s Interest & Sinking tax rate went down almost two cents because the LEC bonds were refinanced.
The deficit of $114,403 will come from the county’s fund balance, although county officers don’t expect to have to actually dip into the fund balance.
The budget was proposed and approved unanimously with the motion by Ace Reames, seconded by Cody Jordan.
The I&S tax rate of 5.86 cents to pay debt service and the M&O rate of 59.20 cents, for a total rate of 65.06 cents, were proposed in separate motions at Monday’s session.
The 65.06 cents is the No New Revenue (NNR) rate, formerly known as the effective tax rate.
The commissioners plan to adopt both the budget and tax rate after a required public hearing on Sept. 7.
Other Business
•Commissioners decided to reenact the burn ban in light of drier conditions.
•A revised contract with Cary Services for HVAC maintenance at the Courthouse and LEC.
• A official contract offer to Morales Concrete for bridge repair on CR 179 was approved. The $70,800 bid, which was approved last week, specifies that work be completed in four months, but Reames reported that Morales felt he could finish in two weeks once he got started.
