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Pickens County presents balanced $40.2 million 2025 budget; vote set for next meeting
Summary
County officials presented a condensed public hearing on the proposed 2025 budget, describing a balanced $40,213,437 general fund, major personnel-driven cost increases, SPLOST allocations for roads, and a scheduled adoption vote at the December meeting.
Speaker 1 summarized the county's proposed 2025 budget during a work session called as the second public hearing, saying the general fund is balanced at $40,213,437 and that department staffing totals 337 full-time and 45 part-time positions. "The budget for 2025 is a balanced budget of $40,213,437," Speaker 1 said.
The presentation identified other major funds: a water enterprise fund of $3,780,861, an airport fund of roughly $1.3 million and a judicial grants fund at $3,388,746. Speaker 1 noted grant revenues and expenditures increase together and that the SPLOST (the 1% special sales tax approved in 2020) directs about 43.3% of SPLOST receipts to county public works and road projects.
Speaker 1 said personnel costs drive most of the spending growth: roughly 74.6% of the county's expenditures are salary-related (salaries, health insurance, retirement and workers' compensation), with an overall 7.47% increase in both revenue and expenditures compared to 2024. "Seventy-four point six percent is personnel of the overall budget," he said.
The county plans to place the proposed budget on the agenda for the December meeting for a formal vote. Speaker 1 told residents the full detailed budget is available in a three-ring binder in the county office and that residents may contact Miranda in the finance department with questions.
Next steps: the board will vote on the budget at the December meeting; residents may inspect the binder at the county office beforehand or review the previously recorded presentation posted by county staff.
