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Coffee County approves four budget amendments for capital projects, ambulance and payroll
Summary
The Coffee County Commission on Nov. 6 approved four budget amendments that fund a $15,000 engineering study for two county buildings, accept a small grant with a required local match, provide longevity pay, and adjust ambulance and recycling-related accounts ahead of a planned vehicle purchase.
Coffee County Commissioners approved four budget amendments during their Nov. 6 meeting, advancing engineering work on two county capital projects and reallocating funds for a planned ambulance purchase, payroll longevity pay and a small grant that requires a local match.
The commission approved adding $15,000 to the capital projects line for an engineering study to produce specifications and oversee design and payment applications for the Telehoma Library and the Joe Justice Center. Commissioners said the county will pursue a $3,000,000 capital outlay request to complete both projects next spring or consider using fund balance; county staff said they will return with paperwork and any formal requests once details are finalized.
The commission also approved a transfer from the reappraisal program to the property assessor and accepted a grant that will bring $7,140 in outside funds; the budget amendment appropriated $14,002.80 to cover the required local match and related contract services.
Separately, the board authorized the use of up to $8,675 from unassigned fund balance to cover scheduled longevity pay to be issued Nov. 14. Commissioners were told that the county will provide the longevity payments while monitoring revenues for the remainder of the fiscal year.
On the ambulance fund, commissioners reviewed a budget balance that staff said stands at about $215,005.23 and discussed a quoted cost of roughly $325,000 for a new, fully equipped ambulance. Commissioners noted ongoing structural wear on existing units and that a new ambulance box is expected to outlast the chassis, which supports the case for replacement rather than repeated remounting.
Commissioners also discussed a separate $25,000 award and county plans for an oil and antifreeze collection site, described in the meeting as a state-mandated recycling function. The site would be located behind the county building next to the rescue squad and could be operated on selected days; commissioners said clean cardboard and other recyclables could generate revenue if managed properly.
All four amendments were approved by voice vote. The motion to approve the four amendments was recorded in the meeting transcript with the mover identified as Tim; the commission responded with a collective "aye." No roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript.
Commissioners emphasized that material costs for capital projects have risen since design work began, and one commissioner said tariffs and delays have already increased project costs by an estimated $25,000. Staff and commissioners said they prefer to finalize design work and lock costs before proceeding to construction.
