Henry County’s budget for the 2019-2020 fiscal year has been set at $163,045,000.

  It was approved May 21 by the Board of Commissioners after three public hearings over a month’s time and a process that began in January. The vote was unanimous. The new fiscal year begins July 1.

  The new budget includes $2.1 million to fund 20 new officers for the Henry County Police Department and $250,000 to fund three new positions in the District Attorney’s Office. There is also money for new E-911 operators and new positions under the sheriff and the solicitor-general.

  Some vacant positions in non-public safety departments were removed from the budget, although officials said department staffing will be looked at again in the middle of the fiscal year. One new position that was spotlighted is a transportation planner in the county’s DOT.

  “It’s good to see that we have a transportation planner that is included in this budget,” said board chair June Wood. “We have a Comprehensive Transportation Improvement Plan that needs to move forward and I commend Commissioner Holmes for the fixed route that is mostly in District 5, but we need something county-wide and we heard that through the CDBG presentation. We have to begin thinking futuristically about every aspect of our transportation needs.”

  The commissioners decided to absorb the $2.7 million increase in health insurance premiums for county employees. Cost-of-living adjustments (2 percent) and longevity increases (1 percent) for eligible employees will take effect July 1.   In presentation at the May 21 meeting, county officials addressed concerns raised previously by commissioners regarding overtime expense and how management is working to reduce overtime for public safety by getting to proper staffing levels.