Walker County chairwoman outlines $1 million in savings; public and commissioners raise questions about 'splosh' funds, vehicle purchases and salary adjustments

Chairwoman Angie Teague told the Walker County Board of Commissioners on March 20 that her office has identified roughly $1 million in potential savings and added revenue since taking office, citing eliminated recurring invoices, removal of out‑of‑service vehicles from insurance schedules and proposed rent increases on county properties.

Why it matters: The chairwoman framed the measures as cost‑saving and revenue‑generating steps intended to reduce waste and avoid long‑term debt. Several members of the public and commissioners, however, criticized the county’s transparency and sought detailed accounting for splosh/splash funds, recent vehicle expenditures and salary adjustments.

What the chair announced - Identified savings and revenue: Teague said her team found “approximately $1,000,000 in savings, revenue, productivity, and unnecessary expenses,” including eliminating a $4,000 monthly lobbying fee and removing 17 out‑of‑service vehicles from insurance rolls (she estimated about $75,000 in insurance savings). - Rent and bank interest: She said raising rent on properties leased to state entities (unchanged since 2013) could add roughly $100,000 a year and that renegotiating bank interest rates could add “potential additional $800,000” in interest revenue. - Landfill tarp requirement and fines: The chairwoman said the county is developing a procedure to fine vehicles that lack tarps when they enter the landfill; the procedure was described as planned to begin in April (chairwoman quoted). - Litter task force and enforcement: Teague announced a citizen volunteer task force to meet March 17 at 5:30 p.m. and said the county will add signage and consider measures to address speeding on county roads. She noted the county has no jurisdiction over city streets. - Salary adjustments and labor rules: Teague defended salary adjustments made in her first month in office as compliant with Department of Labor regulations, and said finance staff and the CFO confirmed budget availability prior to the changes. HR Director Dela Cruz said salaries were adjusted to match North Georgia government comparables (Whitfield, Catoosa, Dade, Chattooga) to address retention issues.

Public and commissioner concerns - Splosh (splash) funds: Several public commenters and one commissioner pressed for clearer accounting of splosh funds, asking whether funds had been borrowed and repaid, how long untapped splosh can be retained and whether recent vehicle purchases were transparent. One speaker asked whether splosh funds were subject to a five‑year reversion to the state if not spent; the transcript indicates differing recollections and requests for documentation. - Fleet management: Public commenters asked for a formal fleet management program with usage and repair records; speakers questioned whether vehicles go home with employees, mileage tracking and replacement criteria. The sheriff’s office representatives said vehicle purchases are allocated from the sheriff’s splosh account and that the office maintains separate splosh allocations from the county’s account. - Salary changes and process: Teague and HR Director Dela Cruz said salary changes were based on market data (Indeed, Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, county comparables) and verified with the finance department before implementation; the chairwoman said the changes comply with Department of Labor rules and cited consultation with the CFO.

Board response and next steps: Commissioners thanked residents for participation, pledged to follow up on constituent concerns about litter pickup crews and non‑emergency contact information, and asked staff to provide documentation about splosh accounts, fleet inventories and the rationale for salary adjustments.

Quotes - Chairwoman Angie Teague: “I am using fiscally responsible strategies… I am continuing my search until I have looked under every rock within Walker County to find such savings and waste.” - HR Director Dela Cruz: “I looked across the whole board and I saw a lot of deficiencies in our retention… my goal as HR director is to look at the compensation across the board and pay them what the average is.”

Ending: The board asked staff to assemble records and to return with clarifying information; the meeting record shows follow‑up tasks related to procurement, fleet and budget oversight.