By Matt Gardner
The Appling County Board of Commissioners held a called meeting on Tuesday, September 11, to approve the FY2013 Budget and 2013 Millage Rate. Commissioners Ronnie Rentz, Theodore Wilkerson and Sarah Boatright voted in favor to approve the budget. Commissioner Daryl Edwards abstained and Commissioner Charlie Leggett was not in attendance. There was no discussion prior to the vote. The millage rate for the County, Education, Fire and State totals 28.62 mills and it was also approved unanimously. The county is projected to spend $14,827,502.00 in the upcoming fiscal year. The 2012 Fiscal Year expenditures were $13,416,528.39.
County approves $14.8 million budget
Some of the major changes in this year’s overall budget include:
- A massive increase in the Appling County Health Department’s individual budget to cover the cost associated with constructing a new building for the department. Last year the county budgeted $103,000.00 for the department and for Fiscal Year 2013 the department is budgeted at $1,353,000.00.
- Much of the individual department increases can be attributed to an anticipated increase in health insurance costs, which is projected to be a 40 percent increase over 2012.
- Another contributing cost factor in some county department budgets is due to increased fuel prices.
Other business
An agreement between the Development Authority and Appling County Pellets was approved. The agreement is for the installation of a rail spur to be installed on Development Authority property by the pellet company and not be liable for taxes. The pellet company will make payments in lieu of taxes and once completed will purchase land from the authority and make regular tax payments. County Attorney Bob Highsmith stated that the agreement does not exclude the pellet company from tax payments to the county.
County Manager Lee Lewis shared information about future road construction projects by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) on portions of Ten Mile Road and Ben Carter Road. The GDOT projects are scheduled to add new signage and two-foot shoulder widening of the roads in the amount of $800,000.00. Lewis stated that the county could pay for the completion of the project with SPLOST funds and let the GDOT handle the bidding process and oversee the entire construction project. After brief discussion about also resurfacing the roads, a motion was made by Boatright with a second from Wilkerson to pay for the completion of the signage, two-foot widening and resurfacing of the two roads with SPLOST funds. The motion was approved unanimously. Work is estimated to start in early 2013.
Lewis informed the commission that work on the Cook Heights projects will start in the next two weeks and is scheduled to be complete by the end of the year.
- A massive increase in the Appling County Health Department’s individual budget to cover the cost associated with constructing a new building for the department. Last year the county budgeted $103,000.00 for the department and for Fiscal Year 2013 the department is budgeted at $1,353,000.00.
- Much of the individual department increases can be attributed to an anticipated increase in health insurance costs, which is projected to be a 40 percent increase over 2012.
- Another contributing cost factor in some county department budgets is due to increased fuel prices.
Other business
An agreement between the Development Authority and Appling County Pellets was approved. The agreement is for the installation of a rail spur to be installed on Development Authority property by the pellet company and not be liable for taxes. The pellet company will make payments in lieu of taxes and once completed will purchase land from the authority and make regular tax payments. County Attorney Bob Highsmith stated that the agreement does not exclude the pellet company from tax payments to the county.
County Manager Lee Lewis shared information about future road construction projects by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) on portions of Ten Mile Road and Ben Carter Road. The GDOT projects are scheduled to add new signage and two-foot shoulder widening of the roads in the amount of $800,000.00. Lewis stated that the county could pay for the completion of the project with SPLOST funds and let the GDOT handle the bidding process and oversee the entire construction project. After brief discussion about also resurfacing the roads, a motion was made by Boatright with a second from Wilkerson to pay for the completion of the signage, two-foot widening and resurfacing of the two roads with SPLOST funds. The motion was approved unanimously. Work is estimated to start in early 2013.
Lewis informed the commission that work on the Cook Heights projects will start in the next two weeks and is scheduled to be complete by the end of the year.
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