Dateline: August 23, 2007

Commissioners propose $1.95 million budget

Donley County Commissioners have proposed a $1.95 million budget for fiscal year 2007-2008, reflecting an increase in overall expenditures of $136,853.49, according to documents filed in the County Clerk’s office.

The single biggest increase in the budget is the addition by state mandate of a new jail administrator position with a salary of $19,920.

“The sheriff’s office has been required by the Jail Standards Committee to hire a fulltime person to oversee the jail in order to continue to house up to 20 people,” County Judge Jack Hall said. “We had no choice in that.”

Sheriff Butch Blackburn said the impact by the state mandate could have been worse.

“They wanted us to hire five additional people, which would have cost up to $135,000,” Blackburn said. “We’ve been fighting them because they have not been wanting to recertify our jail.”

Blackburn said state officials were willing to let Donley County keep running with just a dispatcher/jailer but with a limit of 10 inmates per day. The jail averages 12.19 inmates per day, so he was forced to add the new position.

“You know we’ve been running this jail just fine since 1981, and now some bureaucrat in Austin has cost this county about $27,000 per year by the time you add in all the costs and benefits,” Blackburn said.

Other budget categories saw minor increases, some of which dealt with the rising cost of fuel. The proposed budget also includes $12,000 for the purchase of new livestock trailer for the Extension service to benefit local 4-H and FFA exhibitors.

County employees would receive a three percent raise, and county health insurance premiums are expected to decrease by about $62 per employee per month.

The taxable value of ad valorem property in the county has decreased approximately $3.5 million, and commissioners are proposing a total tax rate of $0.511214 per $100 valuation. That’s up from last year’s tax rate of $0.48843.

Public hearings will be held at 9 a.m. on August 30 and September 4 in the Commissioners’ Courtroom of the Courthouse. Final approval of the budget will come at the court’s regular meeting on September 10.