Freestone County discusses draft budget, ambulance grant opportunity, staffing and tech costs

Freestone County budget officials reviewed proposed changes to the county’s draft fiscal-year budget Thursday, discussing contingency legal fees, senior-services staffing, cellphone allowances, technology wiring costs and a new state ambulance grant available under House Bill 3000 that the county would have 30 days from its fiscal-year start to apply for.

The discussion matters because the grant, as described in the meeting, could supply one-time funds to purchase ambulances for eligible rural counties, and the county is also weighing routine operating costs and staffing choices that affect service delivery.

Budget staff identified several near-term cost items. Speaker 1, a meeting participant, noted an existing line item for “a fire truck payment” and said she would check that allocation. Speaker 4, a meeting participant, flagged expected additional utility and information-technology expenses tied to the county’s planned move, saying some buildings “don't have a CAT 6 wire run throughout” and that…