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Wednesday, May 9, 2012 – 1:00 p.m.
This meeting was attended by all five commissioners, County Clerk Teresa Watson to take the minutes, Finance Officer Kay Landers, and County Attorney Rob Morton. There were 26 citizens and department representatives in the audience.
1. CALL TO ORDER ............................................................................ Chairman Doug Mangham
2. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA - (O.C.G A. 50-14-1 (e) (1))
3. COUNTY MANAGER’S COMMENTS ................................................................... Bill Sawyer
Budget Overview and Q/A Session .......................... Bill Sawyer, Kay Landers, Teresa Watson
Matt Bidwell, MSI Benefits Group (Broker)
County Attorney Rob Morton opened the meeting by advising that the proposed county budget has been made available to the public. The agenda was approved and County Clerk Teresa Watson read a statement at the beginning of the meeting which stressed accountability and fiscal responsibility to Pike County taxpayers as well as compassion for Pike County citizens and county employees. Commissioners can approve the budget as it is or can make changes as they see fit during this process.
$8,541,881 is the amount of the current proposed budget. This does not include the possible savings of $90,000 to citizens (and employees on their insurance) that can be accomplished by changing insurance carriers. Last year's original proposed budget was $8,583,115 and it was later reduced by 3 1/2% for an amended budget total of $8,412,089. It was noted that commissioners could choose to give an across-the-board 3% salary increase to employees for $91,803 which is about the same amount as the $90,000 that will be saved if commissioners switch insurance carriers.
She noted that the fiscal year 2009/2010 budget was $9,642,598 so the trimming of the budget over the past several years has been "truly significant". There is no proposed millage rate increase in this budget. County Clerk Watson stated, "We have requested and received full cooperation from all department heads and from all constitutional officers in the developement of this budget which has been a several month process to date." She extended her thanks to them for working with the Board of Commissioner's Office on the budget over the past few difficult years since 2008.
Update 5.11.12:
It will be presented for approval for a first reading Wednesday, May 23 at 1:00 PM. Second reading will be Wednesday, May 30 at 6:00 PM. At first and second reading, public input will be at the discretion of the chairman. Final adoption of the budget is scheduled for Wednesday, June 13 at 5:00 PM. A special called meeting to set the tax levy is scheduled for Wednesday, July 11 at 5:30 PM. The tax commissioner will deliver the budget to the Georgia Department of Revenue by the August 1 deadline.
Finance Officer Kay Landers read through the proposed budget before Matt Bidwell presented options two commissioners for employee Health Insurance. There is no increase on the dental insurance. He presented four options. The current healthcare company is proposing a 6.49% increase. The county is currently paying 85% of employee costs for Health Care and 15% of spouse and independents. Mr. Bidwell advised that average reimbursement in many counties is 90%/60% for employee and dependents. He advised that Pike County has changed carriers for the past four years. This would be year five. He said this is somewhat of a hassle for employees but you can't ignore the savings of $90,000 to the county and that savings would be passed on to employees in lower premiums. There would be no pre existing conditions and they would work for a seamless transition to minimize disruption of coverage. Blue Cross Blue Shield is a National Network and is larger than United which is the current carrier. Open enrollment would be May 23 and 24th which is a Thursday and Friday. This would ensure that employees would have ID cards in hand by July 1.
Commissioner Carol Bass made a motion to amend the agenda to allow public comment first. Motion died for lack of a second. Commissioner Tamra Jarrett said that it might be good for commissioners to speak first based on their work on the budget and maybe the citizens would pick up on something from their comments.
4. COMMISSIONERS’ COMMENTS
District 1 - Commissioner Bass asked many specific questions. It was determined $2,000 is in the budget based on an educated guess that two Sheriff's vehicles could be replaced next year with a $1000 deductible each next year. She noted that the cost for the annual update on code books is listed as an expense in the commission office instead of with the Law Library. She was advised that this is traditionally where this is found. The County Manager has $10,000 in the budget for the elevator instead of $17,000 because the guy to get it cheaper. It was determined that there is a 5% increase in the budget for elected officials based on state mandates. The past County Manager reduced Medical Care at the jail by $32,400. He did this last year too. There is a government contract for four Sheriff's cars for five years. A representative was asked to get a copy of this contract to the commissioner's office. The past County Manager had said that he was going to ask the Sheriff to reduce his staff of five employees. This did not happen.
Public Works Director Todd Goolsby then spoke about the Capital Outlay lease program with Caterpillar for heavy equipment. This will replace everything on a five year lease program. It is $187,496 for each year and we would gain four pieces of equipment with the old equipment as a trade in. Most is wore out. He advised that we would spend $220,000 for one motorgrader and that most of our vehicles are 1980 or 1990 models with the only new equipment being bought with a past SPLOST. He said that we need to plan ahead on equipment and not buy equipment with SPLOST money since that should be used to pave or resurface roads. If low hours,they will buy back or we can trade in and start the program over after five years. Commissioners were advised that that T-SPLOST passes in July 2012, part of this money can apply to equipment for Public Works.
District 2 - Commissioner Tamra Jarrett commented that it looks like some people are getting raises and some are not in this budget. She said that she has a problem with that. She clarified that this problem does not include constitutional officers because their raises are mandated by state. She said that if Pike County is giving raises, she would rather see everyone get some of the pie instead of just some. She asked if the county was budgeting enough for gas in contingency. It was noted that there are no raises in Public Works, but a position has been replaced.
It was noted in the Industrial Development Authority budget that a director's salary is not budgeted for next year. A representative noted that this pays the bills. He also noted that Pike County is 90% land owners and 10% industrial and commercial. A healthy county should be 75% and 25% and they have recruiters working for them. She noted that the fire department received a less than requested. She asked Chief Mike Grant if he could work with this. He said it's tight that we can hang on to what we've got with this budget.
Update 5.15.12:
District 3 - Commissioner Tommy Powers asked what the average cost is to operate the county each month and was advised that although the total can fluxate from month to month, it costs about $650,000 per month to operate Pike County. He asked about current operating amounts and was advised that there is $809,630 in the General Fund and $1,100,839 in the Cash Reserves though this is a "snapshot in time" because there are bills that could impact that numbers. Commissioner Powers noted that based on what he was hearing there is a possibility that the county will need to borrow a little money to get through. (As in a Tax Antipation Note (TAN) note) He was told " that is a distinct possibility" since it is taking several years to dig out from our financial situation. He then said it's hard to give raises if you can't give everybody a raise said he is not for raises at this point in time.
District 4 - Commissioner Don Collins thinks that staff department heads and elected officials should be commended for helping out with the budget and cutting spending. He said that we have got to get capital improvements plan in place and that the county needs to plan ahead for our needs. He also said that we need a plan to bring business and industry into the county so taxpayers do not have to bear the brunt of taxes and that we need a dedicated agency to bring in business. He thinks that the budget is frugal and likes no millage rate increase but said that we are required by law to provide certain services that the county has to ask taxpayers to pay for. He commended all who and noted that there have been no raises in five years the groceries and gas and gone up and that the county has helped subsidize employee medical insurance costs more than other county jurisdictions to compensate for this. He said it's a tough budget with a lot of thought that went into it and that even though CM Sawyer left us in "kind of in thes lurch", he did leave us a foundation to go ahead and approve the budget and get our digest approved in an expedient manner and that we need to listen to the people who help to dispatch together.
Chairman Doug Mangham - Chairman Doug Mangham originally had no comments but when we came back from a short break he opened by saying that if everyone could not have raises, then no one should have raises and mentioned getting equipment for Public Works.
5. PUBLIC HEARING: FY 2012-13 Budget ........................................ Discussion and Comments
Chairman Mangham a strict instructions at the beginning of the public hearing that everyone would have 5 minutes and no more.
Jimmy Bass said that the county needs to cut more because we don't need to borrow money to operate. He asked some questions about several items in the Sheriff's budget and Chairman Mangham said that they are listening but not answering questions. To which Jimmy replied, you want to spend my money but won't tell me why even at a budget hearing? He asked about four patrol cars instead of replacing engines and transmissions to save money, said that inmate medical bills need looking into because $2,000 per month is going to a local doctor, and said that he doesn't have a problem with deputies working for other agencies as long as we have a substantial return for it though he hasn't seen anything about a substantial return coming back to the county. He ended his time by saying that commissioners can try to control the sheriff's budget even if it goes to court.
Bob Merrick, Vice Chairman of the Board of Tax Assessors, said that the Tax Assessor's lost a person in their office when the county needs two field appraisers and that we are down to one and a receptionist. He said that we need to get her to Appraiser I to backfill Mr. Peavy's position. He said is important to discuss the money situation for the county but said that this department is one that can bring in money. He was advised that the recommendation does include this employee getting Appraiser I training. It was noted that this is not a raise. He said that we need two qualified, certified field appraisers to reevaluate property and that state law requires Appraiser I so we are potentially in violation of state law. Though he is a volunteer on the Board of Tax Assessors, Chairman Mangham cut him off at 5 minutes.
Maude O'Neal spoke to the commissioners to thank them and Public Works Director Todd Goolsby for work on her road.
Helen Carter from the Cooperative Extension Office gave a correction on a line item and asked commissioners to consider putting in a part time position for secretary in their budget. This would be 20 hours of work to be paid 50% by the state with no benefits. She said that the two people in her office have in and out of the office so there are no standard operating hours and people are finding notes on the door when they come by to conduct business. This position would cost $5,250.
The public hearing portion of the meeting was then closed and commissioners had the final words. Commissioner Don Collins said that the county changed the fiscal year but not the tax collection date. He suggested the possibility of splitting into two payment system or changing the current tax date. He suggested that a county research moving the tax collection due date back one month each year so it will eventually match the current fiscal year end of June 30th. He said that doing a 12 month budget on eight month budget is what is causing us to borrow a TAN (tax anticipation note) each year. Attorney Rob Morton advised that there has been a change in state law and this is something that the county can look into now. Commissioner Collins said that we need to talk to the tax commissioner as well.
Commissioner Jarrett thanks the public--she emphasized this by defining "the public" as "the people we serve"--for showing up at the meeting.
County Clerk Teresa Watson asked for some direction from the commissioners prior to the next meeting on May 16. Attorney Rob Morton said that the first reading is May 23, he suggested that commissioners bring their suggestions on the budget to the next meeting.
Commissioner Collins said the commissioners can make recommendations and changes but that changes need to be brought before the entire board before they are accepted and entered as the budget. He suggested that any changes be submitted in a timely manner so they can be discussed at the next meeting perhaps in the form of a sheet of changes. Attorney Morton suggested getting the changes to Teresa the Friday so all the commissioners can review prior to the next meeting. He clarified that this does not mean that they cannot discuss changes that come up in the meeting.
6. ADJOURNMENT
MOtion to adjourn at 2:53 p.m.
Agenda subject to revision.