Ben Hill County holds public hearing on $9.56 million proposed 2021 budget; manager cites $200,000 increase
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Summary
At a Dec. 16, 2020 public hearing, Ben Hill County presented a proposed $9,562,786 2021 budget and related special funds; County Manager Michael Dinnerman said a $200,000 increase reflects IT, recurring maintenance and insurance costs, and county officials reported strong cash and tax-collection figures.
Ben Hill County held a public hearing on the proposed 2021 budget during its regular meeting on Dec. 16, 2020 at the Ben Hill County Courthouse Annex. County Manager Michael Dinnerman presented a proposed budget of $9,562,786 in revenues and expenditures and identified a range of special revenue and capital funds under consideration, including the sheriff’s special revenue fund, drug abuse, jail fund, special investigations, supplemental juvenile, emergency 911, the development authority, LMIG, CDBG Grant, SPLOST 2011, SPLOST 2017 and T-SPLOST.
Dinnerman said the proposed budget includes about a $200,000 increase driven by information technology needs, recurring maintenance contracts and insurance. "He and CFO Darlow Maxwell feel like it is a very reasonable budget," the manager said.
Chairman Steve Taylor opened the floor for public comment; there were no comments. Commissioner John Mooney moved to close the public hearing and return to the regular meeting; Vice-Chair Hope Harmon seconded and the motion passed with Mooney, Harmon, Taylor and Commissioner Daniel Cowan voting in favor.
Tax Commissioner Barry Foster said he was "surprised that the citizens are paying as well as they are," and reported that the county's collection rate is up 2.7 percentage points compared with the same time last year. County Manager Dinnerman also reported the county's cash position is roughly $2.5 million higher than at this time last year and that year-to-date SPLOST collections are up about $250,000 and LOST collections are up about $227,000.
The hearing provided officials an opportunity to present the proposed figures and receive public comment; no members of the public spoke. The transcript of the meeting does not record a vote to adopt the budget during the Dec. 16 session.