Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

 

By Jeff Moore
Contributing writer

The Crisp County Board of Commissioners held the first of two public
hearings Tuesday on its budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
During its June 10 regular meeting, county finance director Sherrie
Leverett reviewed the county’s spending plan for the next year, which
overall totals more than $40.9 million.
Leverett proceeded to give a short summary of the various county funds
that make up the budget.
She started with the general fund for next year that she said is balanced
at $22.8 million in both revenue and expenses.
“That's almost a $1.2 million dollar increase over last year,” she noted.
The E911 special revenue fund is balanced at $1.4 million, while the
Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax special revenue
fund for roads is balanced at $1.2 million, Leverett told commissioners,
Leverett said.
The special service district special revenue fund is balanced at $2.9
million, while she said the water enterprise fund has revenue and income
of $831,900 and the landfill enterprise fund is balanced at $2.6 million
Leverett moved on to the non-major special revenue funds, noting they
are all balanced with revenue and expenses: the law library fund,
$40,000; jail maintenance fund, $239,091; drug abuse treatment and
education fund $25,000; opioid settlement fund, $50,000; motel/hotel
tax fund, $37,000; Community Development Block Grant revolving loan
fund, $20,250; and asset forfeiture fund, $100,000.
In the capital project funds area, Leverett said they are all balanced with
$2.4 million in the 2017 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax fund,
$5.5 million in the 2023 SPLOST fund and $499,329 in the TSPLOST
capital projects fund.

She noted two special revenue funds — the American Rescue Plan Act
and the CDBG mitigation communications equipment project — ended
with the current fiscal year.
According to a summary of the budget and its various funds, 10 of them
will increase next year, while six others will see decreased revenue and
spending. Two funds — DATE and opioid settlement — remain the
same as the previous fiscal year.
In addition to the general fund being up by $1.2 million for 2025-25, the
E911 special revenue fund reflects a $43,136 increase. Others showing
increasing include: TSPLOST special revenue funds for roads, up by
$79,975; special service district revenue fund, increasing $28,884; law
library fund, up by $15,000; jail maintenance fund, rising by $34,891;
hotel/motel tax fund, up by $7,000; CDBG RLF, increasing by $9,250
and 2023 SPLOST fund, rising by more than $1 million.
The overall budget for next year shows the county’s spending and
income will be lower by a total of $115,383.
Those with decreases are the ARPA fund, down by $1.5 million and the
CDBG MIT communications equipment project, decreasing by
$100,000, compared with last year. Both of these ended in the current
2024-25 fiscal year.
Others with lower revenue and expenses include: landfill enterprise
fund, down by $20,681; asset forfeiture fund, dropping by $57,500;
2017 SPLOST fund, down by $843,894 and TSPLOST capital projects
fund, dropping by $17,545.
There were no speakers during the public hearing to address the budget.
“The other thing we need to do is we will need to set a date to adopt the
budget,” Leverett said, noting it has to be done by June 30.
After reviewing dates, commissioners agreed to hold a called meeting
for 9 a.m., Friday, June 2. Both the second public hearing and the budget
adoption are planned for that day.
In other business
The Crisp commissioners approved several other actions during the
Tuesday meeting.
They include:

Approval of a lease agreement for Crisp County Sheriff’s Office body
worn cameras, which will replace outdated models now in use. Sheriff
Billy Hancock said funds for the lease are included in the department’s
budget.
Approval of a resolution commending Kamariah Porter for winning the
2025 state championship for the under 50 meter dash.
Ratification and approval a contract for the 5311 Transit Program, with
current provider, Resource Management Systems of Vienna, again
winning as low bid to provide the service.