Carroll County’s 2022-2023 $13,807,712 budget of estimated expenditures will be up for vote at the 7 p.m. June 20 Legislative Body meeting at the Office Complex Conference Room. Revenues are estimated at $13,927,841.There is no property tax increase with the tax rate set at $1.4131 per $100 of assessed property.
The Legislative Body meeting was delayed from its usual second Monday night meeting of the month due to the fact the budget has to be published in the newspaper prior to its adoption. It will be published in the June. 15 newspaper.
The Budget Committee met for the last time June 2 after meeting for the last few months to finalize the budget numbers so it could be passed at the June meeting of the Legislative Body.
Carroll County Superintendent Johnny McAdams met with the committee Thursday with his proposal.
He noted that fuel costs had escalated and that the price of a 78 passenger bus has increased by $12,000.The committee noted that the Carroll County General Purpose School Fund has an estimated $7,113,404 in it.
During the meeting, budget members amended the amounts of various accounts and transferred them into different accounts.
“The county is in a very healthy financial position overall,” said County Mayor Joseph Butler.
The loans of $910,000 for the Emergency Operations Center and jail renovations are now paid. The annual $50,000 given to the Carroll County Watershed Authority annually will likely be turned over to TWRA for a few years, but will eventually cease, according to Butler.
Revenue estimates at June 30 will be at $12,600,000 with expenditure estimates at $12,700,000 and includes $230,000 in bonuses which is seen in transfers in and presents an increase in the fund balance.
“The expenditure numbers are aggressive,” said the county mayor. “We are operating with over $1M in the black.”
“The county offices are doing a great job in budgeting,” said Darrell Ridgely, budget committee chairman. The new budget provides: a 3 percent raise as well as increased input into health insurance and retirement, after recent raises of $2,000 for full-time and $1,000 for part-time employees through ARPA; unique investment in law enforcement, TCRS Bridge Retirement Program, 4 new dispatcher positions, raises to all staff; critical capital maintenance in this budget; increase staff funding to the Health Department, fully reimbursed by the state, building investments for the Health Department (awning approved, ARPA request under consideration), fully funded through ARPA and state reimbursement; additional investment in current library employees by raising staff pay; increased funding for prevention services through the Prevention Coalition, fully funded through grants; record investment in Carroll Academy – $700,000 additional beyond contracted $643,000, both fully funded by Tenn. Dept. of Children’s Services at the direction of Gov. Lee; addressing a critical need at the airport( project was pushed from current fiscal year to this upcoming fiscal year) – $715,000 in infrastructure project, fully reimbursed by Federal and State Government Partners.
