Cusseta‑Chattahoochee approves $294,725 in FY2024 amendments as officials warn of multi‑hundred‑thousand‑dollar shortfall

The Commission of the Unified Government of Cusseta‑Chattahoochee County voted April 1 to adopt a packet of FY2024 budget amendments and related resolutions, while later public hearings in April made clear commissioners face a recurring multi‑hundred‑thousand‑dollar shortfall and are weighing revenue and cost options.

The Commission’s April 1 consent agenda included approval of several budget resolutions and a packet that lists a “Total Amendment” of $294,725. Packet materials and resolution texts identify transfers or increases tied to property tax reimbursement, coroner salaries, legal expenses, EMS salaries and boarding of prisoners; the board recorded unanimous votes for the consent motions during the regular meeting.

County Manager Thomas Weaver told commissioners at the April 1 budget hearing that the proposed budget initially showed roughly a $740,000 gap and that adjustments have reduced but not eliminated the shortfall. Weaver said new SPLOST revenue and about $130,000 in ambulance revenues are helping but are not sufficient to close the deficit. At subsequent hearings he told the board some structural solutions could include rate changes and footnote adjustments, but he warned that balancing the budget without new revenue would require significant cuts.

Superior Court Clerk Tami Wade, appearing at an April 14 hearing, urged the board for immediate help to hire a part‑time deputy for court days, estimating about $15,000 annually and noting she also needs $10,000 in required software. “I cannot wait a year,” Wade said, arguing her office must keep statutory hours and staff court operations. Chairman Charles Coffey and other commissioners responded that the board must weigh all elected‑official requests against countywide funding limits and that unilateral relief for one office would be unfair without a majority vote and an available funding source.

Commissioners discussed several concrete options. County Manager Weaver recommended a $2 monthly trash‑service rate increase (raising the municipal trash line from $20 to $22 on the utility bill) to reduce pressure on operating funds. Commissioners also discussed the possibility of increasing the millage rate; Weaver said a modest change would not close the gap and estimated a much larger hike would be required to eliminate the structural deficit. Commissioner Jason Frost urged putting the work in motion to consider a mileage increase if other revenue options fail.

The board approved the Donate Life Month proclamation and a tax refund motion for Tracy Chiodo during the regular meeting; the minutes record a refund motion totaling $38.31 (county portion $12.31), while a subsequent assessor’s letter supplied as backup lists the refund total as $38.38 (the record contains both figures). The Commission also approved the various budget amendment resolutions placed on the April 1 agenda; packet materials provide line‑item detail for those amendments.

Chairman Coffey framed the larger challenge in stark terms, urging the Commission and constitutional officers to weigh sacrifices evenly and to prioritize county solvency. Coffey offered to forgo his commission pay for the next four years if other constitutional officers did likewise to help close the gap, an offer he said was put forward to signal the seriousness of the fiscal constraints.

Next steps: staff will bring revised budget language, proposed cuts and revenue scenarios back to the Commission for further work‑session review and a decision on whether to propose a millage adjustment to voters or make deeper departmental reductions.