No budget yet for the County

The County Commission could not reach an agreement on a new budget for the County at a called meeting Monday, June 15.

They did cut some budgets, but it was not enough to satisfy everyone at the table.

County Clerk Latrice Wilson presented 3 budget proposals to the board.

1) No tax increase and a 12% cut to various departments.

2) A 3 mil increase and a 4% cut.

3) A 2 mil increase that cut the Fire Department, Jail and Recreation deeply.

She recommended, in order, budgets 2, 3 and 1.

She said budget 1 covered payroll and did not offer anything for operating expenses for various departments. She noted there is no way County departments can operate with just payroll at the current staffing levels.

Budget 2 avoids deep cuts to public safety, she said. She noted the County will not do well without the Fire Department and jail. Cuts to rec would affect the quality of life here.

“Option 2 shares the burden between taxpayers and the departments,” she said.

“The future of Turner County is at stake. The question before us is: do we want to cut services? If we cut services, we are affecting people,” she said. “Cut services, we are cutting people.”

A Thursday public hearing was canceled. Instead, the Board will have a called meeting at 5 p.m.

In the Monday meeting, it was sometimes hard to hear what was being said several times. Commissioners talked to each other and audience members spoke to each other in separate conversations

County Commissioner Joe Burgess offered a motion to accept #1.

“I am for 1. Cut services,” he said. Mr. Burgess has argued for years that the County budget is too high and cuts must be made. In Thursday’s meeting, he repeated that several times. He spoke more during the called meeting than he usually does at Commission meetings.

“You raise taxes 3 mils, all of us will be recalled. You got to cut services. This little rundown town and county,” he said. “For the last 8-9 years, we ain’t studied no business. All the money goes to services.”

He also said several times Turner County as a whole has little in the way of businesses. He said this is causing people to leave.

He offered a motion to accept Budget 1. Commission Chair Dana Whiddon gave the second. The vote was 2-2 with Commissioners Brad Calhoun and Nick Denham voting no. Commissioner Alan Weaver was not at the meeting. He briefly checked in by phone and said he supported Budget 3.

“You can’t sit here and keep on. You can’t sit here and keep on doing it,” Mr. Burgess said several times.

Mr. Burgess arrived at the meeting late and left early. He said he had to pick up a granddaughter. The remaining 3 commissioners met for another hour.

The Commissioners also questioned the expected property tax revenue in each budget.

Ms. Whiddon said she believes the $3 million in Budget 1 is low.

“We are still collecting from ‘24 and haven’t collected all of ‘25,” Mr. Calhoun said. “I think we will get $3.1 but not 3.3”

Commissioner Nick Denham said about $700K remains in uncollected taxes. He also noted the Commissioners cut more 4 mils recently.