The Fannin County Board of Commissioners heard budget requests from select department heads and elected officials Wednesday, October 9.
The Tax Assessor office is requesting $689,063 for 2020. Their 2019 amended budget was $658,493.
The department’s budget includes an $18,000 increase in salaries. Chairman Stan Helton said he was looking at keep salary increases to 2 percent unless they include an increase in staffing or promotions. Chief Appraiser Dawn Cochran explained that the department had gone from 15 employees to 11 employees who have all taken on more responsibility and earned higher certifications to get the work done.
“Once we send them (appraisers) to school, it takes three classes, three different weeks of classes, and then a state exam,” she said. “So we’ve got, ya know, $2,000 tied up in an employee to get their first level of certification where they can actually be on board with us as a certified appraiser. So when you put the time into training them and you put the money into it, it’s important to me to get the employees that I have better certified, better educated and if you were looking at not pushing that workload over to the current employees and hiring another individual, you’re going to be looking at more than $18,000.
“We’re trying to get them paid what I feel like their worth, paying to stay with us and make this an investment in a career and in our county. It’s important to me that we take care of the ones that we’ve really been putting pressure on to get this work done.”
The Arts department is requesting $113,753 for 2020. The department’s approved budget for 2019 was $108,696.
Coroner Becky Callihan requested $123,916 for 2020. The approved budget for her department in 2019 was $73,916. This includes the cost of a new cooler which will be purchased and installed in the old fire station.
The Board of Elections is requesting $330,086, which is an increase from their 2019 approved budget of $208,383. According to Election Supervisor Mary Ann Conner, the increase was unavoidable due to 2020 being a presidential election year and the state instituting a series of new requirements.
The Recreation department is requesting $854,977 for 2020. The department’s approved 2019 budget was $845,233.
Magistrate Judge Brian Jones requested $257,894 for 2020. His department’s approved budget for 2019 was $226,655. Judge Scott Kiker requested $314,039 for the Probate Court for 2020, which was approved $302,937 for 2019.
District Attorney B. Alison Sosebee requested $405,170. Sosebee’s department was approved $353,176 of her $381,657 2019 budget request, however it was later amended to the full $381,657 request.
Chief Land Development Officer Marie Woody is requesting $307,584, an increase from her department’s 2019 approved budget of $274,769. Woody has requested a new vehicle within this budget request, however Helton believes it may be possible to move a car from the Tax Assessor office to her office to alleviate the expense of the car.
“We were talking to the Tax Assessors,” Helton said. “They’ve got seven vehicles and three of them are not being utilized that much. So I think we’re gonna look that direction about trying to find you something.”
The Juvenile Court is requesting $258,185, the Superior Court is requesting $286,236 and the Probation office is requesting $138,998 for 2020. In 2019 the Juvenile Court was approved $262,932, the Superior Court was approved $235,495 and the Probation office was approved $124,709.
The Public Defender’s office is requesting $267,048.44 for 2020. Their approved budget for 2019 was $279,785. The office expects to save money on rent following their move to the old fire station building, however funds will be used to renovate the space to their requirements.
The Public Works department is requesting $1,947,045 for 2020, which is the same as their approved 2019 budget.
The Board of Commissioners will work with department heads and elected officials to determine the final proposed 2020 budget, which will be approved before the new year.