The Fannin County Board of Assessors approved a projected 2021 budget request with expenditures listed at $765,449.60 Tuesday, July 21, before sending it to county Finance Director Robin Gazaway.
The 2021 projected budget is an increase from last year’s budget of $702,443. Originally, the Board of Commissioners had approved a budget of $677,443 for the department’s 2020 budget, however they later amended it to reflect a $25,000 requested increase in salaries.
The largest increase in the 2021 budget is seen in capital outlay, where $40,000 is budgeted for a necessary new server.
The budget also includes $423,867 in office and staff salaries, and $16,250 in BOA member salaries for a total salaries expenditure of $440,117.
“In the salaries, I am asking for an increase for the individuals that go and get their Appraiser I or III, because that’s the advancements that we need,” Chief Appraiser Dawn Cochran said. “If they go and get their III, I’m asking for a dollar an hour. We do not have any IIIs right now, other than myself.”
The following budget figures were also included in the submitted proposal:
•Maps/Aerial - $33,945.58;
•Legal Fees - $10,000;
•Tech-maintenance/Support - $10,500;
•Vehicle Maintenance - $5,000;
•Postage - $25,000;
•Dues & Subscriptions - $11,385;
•Education & Training (Travel) - $13,600;
•Contract Labor - $48,750;
•Operation Supplies - $25,000;
•Fuel, Oil & Lube - $5,000;
•Uniforms - $1,375; and,
•Capital Outlay - Equipment - $40,000.
The board hopes to use any funds from the 2020 budget that are not used to pay for the new server.
“If we have any money leftover from 2020, ETC is willing to take three payments,” Cochran said. “If we play it right, we might could take the end of the year for 2020, beginning of 2021, and break that out. I expect us to have some, like I’ve not used any of my legal fees or anything like that. So we’re going to try our best to ease that burden, and if so this will ease that burden.”
Board Chairman Troy Junnier urged Cochran to do just that, stating, “We should be able to take that legal fee and roll it from one line to another, and I suggest that anything we have, roll it to that if we can.”