DeKalb County budget committee approves amended midyear budget amendments; forwards package to full board

The DeKalb County Finance, Audit and Budget Committee on Monday approved an amended midyear budget amendment spreadsheet and directed staff to prepare the package for the Board of Commissioners. Committee Chair Commissioner Ted Terry said the budget "is our top priority here today."

The committee reviewed two sets of requests: longer-term capital improvement program (CIP) items and a short-term list of items proposed for this fiscal year. Budget Director TJ Siegler walked the committee through the spreadsheets and told members the first two pages were longer-term CIP projects totaling about $61.9 million that will be folded into a five-year CIP plan for FY2026 consideration. Siegler said the administration will recommend funding sources and return recommendations with the FY2026 budget.

Members discussed several line items and made adjustments to how some requests will be presented. Commissioners asked that certain design and construction costs be separated into distinct line items — for example, Mason Mill Senior Center design costs were clarified separately from an $11.36 million construction estimate. Committee members also agreed to evaluate whether specific CIP projects are SPLOST-eligible; COO Williams noted the county will consider SPLOST and other funding before using general fund dollars.

On items slated for near-term funding, the committee approved a set of prorated or partial-year allocations for organizations and programs, including: Leadership DeKalb (recommended $50,000 for the remainder of this fiscal year, down from a requested $100,000); Mosaic Health Center (increased to $200,000 on the committee sheet); and a $350,000 countywide allocation for youth programming, with $50,000 per commission district to be managed through the human services department and implemented with input from each commissioner.

Several district-priority items were moved or clarified on the lists: Midway Park and Recreation Center was elevated for planning and repairs; Briarcliff Road sidewalk was reported in final design pending right-of-way work and permitting; and Sugar Creek tennis and pickleball improvements were consolidated into a $3 million project shared by Districts 3 and 6. The committee also asked staff to add LED street-lighting and specific safety lighting requests (Evans Mill Bridge and Henderson Mill Road) to the short-term list with cost estimates.

Public-safety technology and equipment were discussed: commissioners asked administration to fold individual camera purchases into a broader real-time crime center strategy. Commissioner Patrick and other members said prior district allocations for Flock cameras and camera trailers should be reconciled and deployed where already approved. COO Williams said the CEO will present a strategy that will include Flock and other cameras, and TJ Siegler said staff will bring an update before the end of the year.

On human services and animal services, committee members asked that existing salary savings and cost-center reallocations be used to cover a number of short-term requests, including $20,000 for Central DeKalb Senior Center programming. Commissioners also discussed Lifeline contract amendments and a proposed $15,000 for spay/neuter services; committee members asked administration to consider waiving that fee in a contract renewal.

The committee also confronted a recurring agenda item: a proposal to create a DeKalb County Community Land Trust (CLT) and begin ground-work funding. Commissioner Michelle Long Spears requested $122,000 to contract Ground Solutions for CLT startup work. Committee members agreed to a deferral to give the newly appointed chief housing officer time to review the proposal with administration; the committee set a 45-day review to let the housing officer and CEO weigh in and report back to the PECS committee. Chair Terry said the item will remain on the committee list and staff will continue discussions with the sponsoring commissioner.

The committee approved the amended spreadsheet and asked staff to prepare the substitute agenda item for board consideration the next day. After the motion to approve was moved and seconded, Chair Commissioner Ted Terry cast the recorded vote and said "aye;" the motion carried and staff was directed to finalize materials for the full board.

The committee also requested staff return with clarifications and documentation on several specific items before full-board consideration, including the status and placement of the Arts Council startup funding ($150,000 proposed, to be clarified as operating vs. capital), the list and deployment schedule for Flock cameras and camera trailers, and a reconciliation of sidewalk and district allocations previously transferred into CIP.

For transparency, TJ Siegler and COO Williams were asked to circulate an updated spreadsheet that incorporates the committee edits and to append explanatory language and a second schedule that lists internal reallocations and cost-center transfers. That substitute agenda item will accompany the FY2025 midyear amendment package at the Board of Commissioners meeting.