County Board, on Split Vote, Passes Budget

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Published on December 29 2016 4:33 pm
Last Updated on December 29 2016 9:31 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

The Effingham County Board, on a voice vote, passed a budget Thursday for the fiscal year that began December 1.

Board members John Perry and Lloyd Foster voted against the measure that calls for total expenditures of $19,207,466. Of that amount, $10,050,995 is allocated for general fund uses. 

Special revenue, non-highway use, totals $5,878,432. Special revenue, highway use, totals $2,263,241. Remaining debt service on the Effingham County Government Center totals $1,014,798.

Perry, new to the Board following the November election, offered a series of amendments to the budget. He said those were the result of meetings he's had with constituents. One motion would have reduce the contingency fund by $20,000, another would have eliminated the HSA and insurance payments for County Board members, another would have eliminated a chief deputy position in the County Clerk's office that has become vacant, and another would reduce the Emergency Management Agency budget by $70,000 and would move the office to the County Health Department. Another amendment would have reduced Dive Rescue Team funding from $11,000 to $3,000. The final proposal was to increase the Sheriff's Department budget by just over $100,000 to allow for more vehicle purchases and to establish a five-year rotation on vehicle replacement that Perry said would eventually save the County money.

All of the amendments failed, with Perry and Foster the only voices heard in support of the measures.

Niemann said a person that pays about $3,000 in property taxes pays about 64 cents to maintain EMA, which he termed "pretty good insurance" in the event of an emergency.

The EMA discussion grew heated as Board Chairman Jim Niemann and Perry engaged in some verbal sparring with Niemann threatening to take action if Perry interrupted. He later apologized for what he termed "losing his temper".

Board member Rob Arnold, who chairs the Tax and Finance Committee, said he appreciated the interest by Perry, but said he thinks the issues need more discussion before he could support them.

The Board Thursday also appointed Tammy Rich to a two-year term on the Ambulance Oversight Committee, effective January 1.