Public Hearings Attract Little Interest

The Jasper County Commissioners held two public hearings on the proposed 2016 budget Monday, and very little “public” attended the meetings.

At the 9 a.m. meeting, only commissioners Carl Pennamon and Craig Salmon were there to hear public comment. Commissioner Pennamon reviewed the proposed budget and five-year history then asked for comments.

Mike McClanahan, who is serving as chairman of the Solid Waste Committee formed by the commissioners, said the committee is concerned about the county using curbside funds to offset the budget expenditures when they are still dealing with an unknown at the landfill. There is $350,000 in the budget for fiber removal at the landfill, but no one knows if that is a good estimate of what it will cost.

At the behest of the committee, the commissioners agreed to pay an engineering firm to develop a request for proposals (RFP) to get bids on the fiber removal. That process likely won’t be complete until the end of July, and the budget is set to be finalized next Thursday, June 25.

Mr. McClanhan said the county manager feels there are areas that can be reduced to eliminate the need to transfer that $200,000.

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Mary Patrick then spoke and told commissioners that they met for weeks and talked and talked about cutting, then decided not to cut. She said every department submitted a wish list, expecting to be cut, and the commission didn’t cut. She said now is not the time to raise taxes.

She asked that the commission reconsider approving everybody’s wish list.

At the 6 p.m. hearing, all the commissioners were present.

Chairman Gene Trammell explained that by leaving the millage rate the same as last year, the county will generate an additional $328,000. He said the county is slowly approaching the 2010 digest levels, but it’s not there yet. (Because property values have generally increased, many people will see a higher tax bill even though the millage rate was not increased.)

Chairman Trammell said that the money is lagging and the needs are accelerating. He also mentioned they are dealing with a big unknown with the landfill.

Chairman Trammell said that it had been a privilege working with this group of commissioners that has the courage of its convictions. He said it is the first budget that these commissioners have had a chance to make a difference.

The commissioners each spoke before the public hearing was opened. Commissioner Carl Pennamon commented that people are comparing the millage rate in surrounding counties but not comparing the digest. He also said that apparently the public is not concerned as evidenced by the fact only one member of the public was at the hearing. He said that Mrs. Patrick said that they had approved everyone’s wish list, and that is not so. He said the original list was some $10.5 million, and the proposed budget is just under $9.5 million. He said if we’re going to move forward we have to spend money.

County Manager Karen Degges said that 13 departments asked for no more money than last year, and 14 departments asked for an increase. She said that staff was willing to do without because they understand this is the “year of the roads,” and it is part of the team plan. She said roads are on the number one complaint the county receives.

Commissioner Doug Luke talked about the cost of gravel. He said that the goal is to spread 20 loads a week which costs the county some $6,200. He said his taxes were $3,000, and that was only half-a-week’s worth of gravel.

Charles Forsythe, who was the only member of the public to speak, addressed the increase in the sheriff’s office budget, saying that the county should never have provided the same level of policing in the city as the city police provided. He also said he thought there was a more cost-efficient way to operate the sheriff’s office, and suggested the deputies not be allowed to take their cars home.

He said public works could be cut, and all paved road work be contracted out. He said the county never has had good dirt roads, and indicated people moving here knew it was a poor county when they moved here, and saw the condition of the roads before moving in. He told the commissioners to look at history, and take that into account, referring particularly to road paving. He said the county doesn’t have to provide the same services as richer counties. “You have a fiduciary responsibility,” he said. Think about it, the proposed budget may not be the best stewardship of the county dollars.