The Henry County Board of Commissioners has approved a new budget without a millage increase.
The board voted at its May 18 regular meeting in favor of the $189,644,918 budget for the 2022 fiscal year, which begins July 1. Officials pointed out at the final budget hearing that it will require no use of fund balance and is based on the current county millage of 12.733.
In her presentation, county manager Cheri Hobson-Matthews outlined some of the key expenditures, beginning with a major boost in personnel costs. Updates to cost of living/longevity/insurance expenses total $3.8 million, along with $1 million in pension increases and $200,000 in vesting changes for county employees.
The recently approved fourth Superior Court judgeship in the county means an extra $565,000 in increased staffing and other needs for that court and its clerk’s office in addition to the district attorney, public defender and sheriff’s offices. A new board of ethics will carry a $50,000 price tag, and critical needs in public safety will mean $1.5 million for additional officers and $58,000 for E911 reclassification.
Other expenses include $200,000 for the restructuring of the new elections facility, $100,000 for the community service litter pickup contract and $517,000 to the Department of Transportation for the Panola Mountain Greenway project and the Jonesboro Road lighting project.
Matthews also noted how county revenue was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, including reductions in regular revenues, and federal money received through CARES Act funding.
County finance director David Smith gave an overview of the capital improvement plan for the coming year as well as the next five years. He said projects for 2022 totaled $19.7 million and the five-year plan totaled $117.9 million. He detailed various funding options for the plan, including pay-as-you-go through use of fund balance and impact fees.
In other business, three appointments were approved and announced by the board. Fred Mays will serve in an at-large seat on the Henry County Water Authority beginning July 1 and his term will end Dec. 31, 2023. Charles E. Marshall will be an at-large member of the Henry County Development Authority effective immediately until the end of 2024. Both appointments were made by commission chair Carlotta Harrell as authorized under new legislation, and they were confirmed by unanimous vote of the commissioners. Harrell also appointed Anne Compton-Brown to be assistant county attorney, and that did not require a commission vote.
Two stormwater-related repair projects got the go-ahead from the commissioners by unanimous vote. A bid of $91,400 from McLeRoy Inc. of Zebulon was accepted for storm drainage replacement on Red Oak Road. Two storm drains on Strawberry Drive were identified as needing replacement, and Summit Construction & Development of Stone Mountain was the successful bidder on both of those projects at $64,766 and $64,484 respectively. Funding for all of this work will be provided by the county’s stormwater enterprise account, according to officials.
