Martin County to present unchanged 2020–21 draft budget at June 10 public hearing; no tax-rate increase proposed

The Martin County Board of Commissioners on May 26 voted to move the county’s May 13 draft 2020–21 budget forward as the Manager’s proposed budget and present it at the public hearing scheduled for June 10, 2020.

Vice Chairman Dempsey Bond Jr. said staff held spending at “status quo” with no increase to the tax rate and moved to proceed with the draft unchanged; Commissioner Elmo “Butch” Lilley seconded and the Board approved the motion. County Manager David Bone reminded commissioners that the board could adopt the budget at the June 10 meeting after the public hearing or make changes before final adoption; he also noted a later meeting for year-end budget amendments was scheduled for June 24.

Commissioners praised staff work on the budget. Commissioner Ronnie Smith said funding for school resource officers should continue and that concern over courthouse staffing could influence later decisions. Commissioner Lilley encouraged discussions with the Board of Education about use of fund balance; Manager Bone observed the timing for those discussions would be affected by the school system’s ongoing search for a permanent superintendent.

Commissioner Joe R. Ayers, who arrived at the meeting at approximately 6:00 p.m., said he intended to call County Manager Bone the next day to discuss proposed cuts he believed appropriate based on the draft budget. The Board did not adopt the budget at the May 26 special session; the next formal opportunity for adoption is the June 10 public hearing and meeting.