GIlmer BOC Budget Meetings: Videos and Notes

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ELLIJAY, Ga. – Usually spanning three days in October in the Commissioners’ Conference Room, this year saw slight changes as the Board of Commissioners met with departments heads.

Meeting over two days, the BOC held its budget meetings in the Jury Assembly Room of the Courthouse. Allowing more space for social distancing, the board also moved to allow elections to use the conference room for equipment and staff as early voting began on October 13, 2020.

Each Department meets with the commissioners to answer questions and go over certain major changes of increases or decreases.

From here, the budget is studied and adjusted among the three commissioners who, historically, have taken time in the work sessions of the final months of the year to discuss, adjust, cut, and debate priorities before final adoption.

 

https://youtu.be/fhsaJPQd6hc

Animal Shelter

The Animal Shelter requested a new van after major use of their previous one.

A jump in Dues and Fees is coming from adding online pay options for the shelter through fees associated with the software.

 

 

https://youtu.be/BaWnue9r6GM

Chamber

Projecting into 2021, the Chamber said that they had to adjust as 2020 has become such an anomaly. Instead, for revenue and expenditures forecasts, the Chamber looked back to 2019. However, they will adjust in the new year as actual collections come in and they can see real projections of the county after this year’s strangeness.

 

 

https://youtu.be/1imCIORu-dM

Clerk of Court

An increase in Contract Services is forecasting a change in systems for the Clerk of Court as they move to a new indexing system, CoFile. This new system will perform indexing for liens, plats, and deeds. Currently, they use a “farm out” method with a company that files and indexes these things, but staff still has to perform the tasks of scanning and checking. Instead, CoFile will perform the tasks while double checking for paperwork and errors.

 

 

https://youtu.be/GWSzhKQcBPM

Code and Regulatory

Anticipating an increase in professional services for court uses and the County Attorney. However, most of this budget will remain similar to previous years.

 

 

 

https://youtu.be/P6BN8TEigNE

EMA and Airport

Public Safety Director Keith Kucera said he made little changes to the EMA M&O budget since last year. One of those increases came in salary wages as some positions are shifting and they add a completely new position from the Fire Rescue Budget. However, a switch from CodeRED to Hyper-Reach for Emergency Alert System saving $8,000 in their budget’s Contract Services.

With the Airport, an employee resigned very recently. Instead of replacing the full-time position, Kucera stated they will move it to a part-time position and hire for that.

Another major change for the Airport budget comes by adding a Facilities and Maintenance line item. The Airport is looking at the Airport Hangars and improving roof maintenance their in the near future. Kucera said it is a specialty type building that needs a special roofer. It cannot be maintained with those who might work normally on shingle roofs. They are also hoping to look at runway repairs in the budget as well.

 

 

https://youtu.be/hX5Y2RLCYG8

Fire Rescue

Asking for an 8% increase alongside the community paramedicine program, Fire Rescue’s budget saw this increase on the Salary and Wages line item. The Department is also looking to fund the Community Paramedicine truck. Fire Chief Daniel Kauffman said that the program has worked very well and aided in reliving some of the pressure on Fire Rescue and the county’s paramedicine.

The department is continuing to fight pay scale issues and are attempting to spread the gap so that an employee of 10 years, their example, would not be paid the same as a newly recruited rookie. Currently, they have no major benefit for long-term veterans in Gilmer’s Service. However, the issue of competitive pay is doing much better.

Dues and Fees increased as the county is entering a “recertification year” for paramedics. Paying for our paramedics recertification is something Kauffman said the county has historically covered. However, Dues and Fees also increase as they combined some line items and moved purchases like the decrease in Contract Services moved into Dues and Fees as Kauffman said he is trying to make sure these purchases stay in the correct lines.

 

https://youtu.be/2-sT8tk1HZA

Golf Course

Small increases in advertising and telephone along with an increase in professional services. The Golf Course is also increasing inventory for resale. Continuing positive reviews are only marked by an ever closing, but not quite accomplished revenue neutral state. However, confidence from the commissioners is high that they could reach this in the next couple of years.

 

 

https://youtu.be/Q88el-gPqKs

Health Department

Based on contributions instead of a department under the county, the county’s budget doesn’t deal with things like salary and wages. The budget only changes with requested increases to contributions from the Health Department. However, Sandi Holden noted that they did not request an increase.

 

 

https://youtu.be/Z04dfdqo9iE

Library

Requesting a regional fee increase, this is the amount that each of the involved counties pay into the fund to run the regional library system. The library is looking to increase adjusted pay to $10 an hour as well as a 2.5 percent Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).

 

 

 

https://youtu.be/B0eSmPLJT6c

Magistrate Court

Newly elected Magistrate Judge Kevin Johnson is looking to keep the current Judge, Roger Kincaid, as a part time Judge in the coming year. Similar to how Kincaid had Judge Ken Roberts, Kincaid has already had Johnson working as a part-time Magistrate Judge since September. The new year will swap roles, only Kincaid will retain the title of Senior Judge status while working part-time for Johnsons as the new Magistrate Judge.

 

 

https://youtu.be/d7dnnH2Na9g

Parks and Recreation

Seeing increases in contract services and concessions, White explained that his contract services are from hiring people during games to keep scoreboards and similar tasks.

Discussion also arose for costs to convert more tennis courts to pickleball, but no plans were officially set.

 

 

https://youtu.be/Fw2Mk1xbcyw

Planning and Zoning

They are seeing increases with requests for salary and insurance coverage.

 

 

 

https://youtu.be/2EheVFB51ow

Probate Court

Probate Court is requesting a large increase as Judge Chastain hopes to appoint a new Associate Judge, Budget talks have also majorly focused on removing elections from the Probate Office or increasing the Judge’s stipend for being the elections superintendent. While debates have gone back and forth over an election board and increasing his pay, the BOC may still be looking at this in 2021.

 

 

https://youtu.be/JiPZzhJbSDk

Public Works

Solid Waste is looking to improve its revenue with an increase to rates by weight at the landfill. With surrounding counties at a higher rate already, the increase is also looking to better balance costs for the county as increases in Advanced Disposal Contracts for hauling off solid waste have been coming and will continue.

Capital budget is looking to replace shack buildings at certain locations for those montioring solid waste locations. This is set into the supplies item as the department is hoping to use on hand labor, employees, to build newer buildings over Winter months.

Roads and Bridges is also getting a major focus this year through salaries and wages increases as well as more priority in the capital budget. However, this focus is not just for roads and bridges as increases are also coming to several areas of Public Works.

 

https://youtu.be/9cXow9sgsk0

Registrar’s Office and Elections

Salary and wages are increasing with a January election in 2021. Elections are also planning to look at moving precincts like Big Creek Precinct moving to Roy Road. Capital purchases are also requesting new desktop computers with camera and mic for zoom meetings as the office is looking to follow a statewide major move towards digital meetings and training rather than in person due to COVID-19. They are also replacing some computer equipment in the office.

Another request is coming as the registrars needs new shredders as they have burned through the previous one.

 

https://youtu.be/Fd7dtGTZslI

Sheriff’s Office

Sheriff Stacy Nicholson is carrying over a request from last year with retirement packages. According to how he explained the POAB (Peace Officers Annuity and Benefits Fund) last year, it is a retirement for certified law enforcement officers. Any officer in Georgia can join. After the officer retires, a monthly payment created by the number of years your were a member multiplied by 24.

Adjusting annualized 2020 numbers for salaries and actual positions, the Sheriff’s Office is also looking for a 3 percent Cost Of Living Increase. Nicholson said the office and most agencies in the nation are struggling to hire people. Nicholson also said he wants to adjust detention officers closer to patrol officers, but not quite have them meet. This could attract more people to the Sheriff’s Office.

E-911 is also looking to increase in salary with a 3% Cost of Living as well as some corrections on personnel seen as unfilled positions. E-911 needs upgraded computers before GCIC sanctions them if they don’t go to Windows 10.

The Sheriff’s Office will see a increases in the computer maintenance and leases for equipment.

 

https://youtu.be/YcIFpQ63G_c

Superior Court and Juvenile Court

Increases in Health Coverage offset by changes to several line items indicates an over decrease in the Superior Court Office. However, some concern came on the Jurors line item as they are looking to bring in more Jurors for selections.Judge Weaver simply voiced concerns that they could not correctly predict costs on this.

 

 

 

 

https://youtu.be/a9jqMn8xFv4

Tax Assessors

Looking to continue competitiveness in wages, the office is looking to build on recent years when wage increases helped with the issue. They are looking to improve other portions of staff as they have seen increases over the last two years, but not reached every employee. The office is seeking new equipment to aid with cloud computing requirements, equipment, and upgrades. This includes needs for digital meetings on Zoom Meetings and other trainings sessions. 

The tax assessors office is also looking to present a lot more information for business/personal property on the website minus privileged information. This would require a one time fee to set up ($3,000) on their website for citizens to log on and view.

A jump in vendor services is due to changing needs every year. Two years ago was high, but last year was low. Teresa Gooch said she tries to put in a realistic number every year instead of an inflated number.

 

https://youtu.be/LBTgHxnHcGQ

Tax Commissioners

With increasing time needs for efforts in the office from simple tasks like tags to major changes for vendors and deposits, Becky Marshall is requesting increases in salaries to support the increases in workloads.

Additionally, a new server was noted as a potential need. While Marshall said she wouldn’t replace it until she absolutely has to, she acknowledged that server is very old and she is already having issues with it.

 

https://youtu.be/f0lW56X40AM

UGA Extension Office

The Extension Office could be moving to the building behind the Civic Center as a part of major moves from different divisions in the Sheriff’s Office opening up this location.

The extension office is requesting a 3 percent increase to salaries but stated that most of the other things stay the same. They are preparing for another year of digital classes and Zoom meetings like most other county departments. The office is requesting $1,000 in capital for computers for this.

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