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Cusseta‑Chattahoochee commissioners approve budget amendments as officials warn of a $740,000 shortfall
Summary
The Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a package of budget amendments April 1 and opened multi‑session public hearings on a proposed budget the county manager says starts with about a $740,000 deficit. Commissioners discussed potential service cuts, a proposed $2 trash‑rate increase and whether to seek new revenue, including HB 581 sales‑tax changes.
The Board of Commissioners of the Unified Government of Cusseta‑Chattahoochee County on April 1 unanimously approved several budget amendments and set a sequence of public hearings after County Manager Thomas Weaver told the board the proposed FY budget begins with roughly a $740,000 shortfall.
Weaver told commissioners the county’s new SPLOST collections and recent ambulance revenue — “over $130,000 since we started” — have helped but are not sufficient to close the gap. “We will have to make cuts,” Weaver said at the April 1 public hearing. He listed capital items that might move to SPLOST and urged commissioners to itemize contracted‑services and miscellaneous line items when seeking savings.
At the regular meeting the commission voted unanimously to approve a National Donate Life proclamation, adopt a budget hearing calendar, grant a tax refund to Tracy Chiodo as recorded in the minutes, and approve a set of budget resolutions described in meeting materials. The minutes record the budget amendments as a total of $294,725; the meeting packet also included individual resolution documents itemizing transfers for several departments (see “Votes at a glance”). Commissioner Timothy Biddle moved the budget amendments; Commissioner Jason Frost seconded and the vote was unanimous.
During the April 14 and April 28 budget hearings, commissioners and staff reviewed departmental requests line‑by‑line. Superior Court Clerk Tami Wade urged the board to fund a part‑time position and software for her office, saying she historically staffs three positions and must keep her office open 9 a.m.–5 p.m. on court days. “I have waited two years,” Wade said, and warned she may have to take further steps if she cannot secure staffing. Chairman Charles Coffey and other commissioners said the board must weigh those requests against the county’s limited resources and legal duties. Coffey said elected officials cannot ask for funding the county does not have and repeated that raising revenue or cutting services are the available choices; he also said HB 581, if approved locally in November, could help but would not deliver funds for about a year.
Board members discussed a proposed $2 monthly increase in household trash collection to $22 to help cover rising disposal costs and considered moving capital purchases (including sheriff department vehicle requests and a proposed batwing tractor for public works) to SPLOST funding. Weaver said many capital requests can be shifted to SPLOST, but recurring costs such as salaries and health care must be covered by the operating budget.
The commission held an executive session on April 28 to discuss personnel matters; the chairman later certified the session met open‑meetings law exceptions. The board reconvened work sessions and will continue budget deliberations at upcoming meetings.
Votes at a glance - Budget amendment resolutions (reported in meeting materials): motions made by Commissioner Timothy Biddle, seconded by Commissioner Jason Frost; vote unanimous. - Tax refund for Tracy (Chiodo): motion made by Commissioner Damon Hoyte, seconded by Commissioner Timothy Biddle; vote unanimous.
What’s next The county will continue budget work sessions and public hearings; commissioners asked staff to produce a line‑item list of proposed cuts and options for revenue adjustments including a potential millage change. The county manager cautioned that repeated shortfalls will exhaust reserves if not addressed in the coming years.
