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Cusseta–Chattahoochee commissioners adopt FY2025 budget after hearings, plan to use reserves to close shortfall
Summary
After two public hearings, the Board of Commissioners approved the Unified Government's fiscal year 2025 budget on June 24, 2024, following discussion of a deficit reduced from roughly $2 million to about $198,000 and the commissioners' decision to use reserve funds if necessary.
The Unified Government of Cusseta–Chattahoochee County adopted its fiscal year 2025 operating and capital budget on June 24, 2024, after two public hearings and a called meeting, with the vote passing unanimously.
County Manager Thomas Weaver told the board at the first public hearing that initial department requests left the county "just shy $2,000,000.00 over budget," and that subsequent line-item reductions had brought the gap down to about $621,000. At the second hearing on June 24 he said the shortfall had fallen further to roughly $198,000 and that he would continue to seek reductions and adjustments before the fiscal year begins. "We will continue to get this resolved by the end of the fiscal year," Weaver said at the June 24 hearing.
Board Chair Charles Coffey told residents the commission faced two basic choices if the budget could not be balanced through cuts: "either cutting expenses or raising taxes," and that department heads must publicly explain any future amendment requests so the public understands how money is spent. Coffey and Weaver emphasized the board preferred deliberate, data-driven reductions over hurried cuts.
The adoption came at a called meeting immediately following the June 24 work session; Commissioner Timothy Biddle moved approval and Commissioner Gerald Douglas seconded the motion, which the board approved unanimously. The written resolution adopting the budget was entered into the record and attested by County Manager Thomas Weaver.
The hearings gave commissioners a chance to press departments on large cost centers. Coffey singled out Public Safety and the newly formed EMS program for further review. Commissioner Jason Frost suggested experimenting with flexible staffing, such as "floaters" to cover multiple offices, as a way to reduce staffing pressure.
A member of the public, David Smith, urged the county to seek more federal assistance, and county staff noted that some utilities and programs (for example, water) have independent funding sources that may limit county exposure. Weaver also told the board that some revenue and grant items (for example, LMIG and a sewer grant) are moving forward and will affect the county's finances for the coming year.
Next steps: the county will finalize budget amendments as needed and require any department or constitutional officer seeking to exceed their approved budgets to present an explanation to the board and the public. The commission adopted the FY2025 budget on June 24, 2024.
