County budget next on agenda
By Steve Herring
Published in News on June 14, 2015 1:50 AM
Wayne County commissioners Tuesday are expected to adopt a proposed 2015-16 fiscal year budget of $177,854,151 that slightly trims the property tax rate from 66.65 cents to 66.5 cents per $100 of property value.
The board will take up the budget during its Tuesday meeting, which gets under way with an 8 a.m. agenda briefing followed by the formal session at 9 a.m.
Both will be held in the commissioners' meeting room on the fourth floor of the Wayne County Courthouse Annex.
The budget includes $600,000 to cover 2 percent merit pay increases. Under the plan, all full-time employees are expected to be formally evaluated in July and August to be considered for merit raises.
Another $300,000 is included to adjust underpaid positions as determined by salary studies to be conducted by the human resources department and reviewed by County Manager George Wood and his staff.
Employees who work 40 hours a week would receive a $500 bonus in the fall. Employees working less than 40 hours a week would receive a pro-rated bonus.
Employees who earn certain work-related certifications will be eligible for a 2.5 percent pay increase, and members of the Sheriff's Office SWAT team would receive a 2.5 percent increase.
Last year, the county lowered employees' portion of insurance premiums by 6 percent. But an increased demand on the county-funded plan is forcing a 6.4 increase for next year.
Wood is recommending in his proposal that the following jobs be eliminated -- public information and marketing manager, one environmental health inspector, Department of Social Services deputy director, one DSS social worker II and one social worker III.
Wood also initially recommended $450,000 for 28 additional employees who would work at the new satellite jail expected to open next summer.
However, during a budget workshop commissioners went along with a motion by Commissioner Joe Daughtery to phase in the hirings. Instead of 28, the county will save $150,000 by hiring 18 and adding the others at a later date.
In a 5-2 vote, the board also approved Daughtery's motion to delay spending $34,500 to equip sheriff's deputies with body cameras.
By a 6-1 vote, the board eliminated $18,000 for audio/visual equipment for the Wayne County Public Library on Ash Street.
Commissioners also added money to Wood's proposal.
Wood's proposal eliminated the $220,000 that had been requested by WATCH (Wayne Action Teams for Community Health). But commissioners voted unanimously instead to cut its funding request in half to $110,000.
Commissioners also added $32,000 for four new welcome to Wayne County signs.
There are no fee increases in the proposal, but there are two changes in fire district tax rates.
Elroy's rate will drop from 6.5 cents to 6.25 cent per $100 of property, while Patetown's will increase from 5 to 6.25 cents.