County Board Approves Budget, Tax Levy for New Fiscal Year

The Effingham County Board Tuesday approved a budget and the tax levy for the fiscal year that begins December 1.

Tax and Finance Committee Chairman Rob Arnold said the budget totals $16.03 in the black. Proposed revenues total $10,009,620 while expenditures total $10,009,604. 

The levy totals $4,966,500, but the levy was abated by $110,000, so the net levy totals $4,856,500.

The levy is 4.99% above what was extended for taxes last year, so by .01% there was no requirement for a public hearing on the measure. Board Member Jeff Simpson voted against both the budget and the levy, saying there had been earlier discussions about a lower levy that would have given a little more taxpayer relief. 

Also Tuesday, the Board discussed an agreement with the Effingham County Dive Rescue Team that would create a Dive Rescue Department with County oversight. The move is to make sure that dive rescue team members are covered by insurance when on duty.

The Board also heard from Chief Deputy Sheriff Paul Kuhns that he will seek proposals for elevator maintenance. Kuhns said he has liked the work of the current vendor, but has been a little nervous about the level of responsiveness, so notified the vendor that the County would solicit proposals from various vendors. The current maintenance agreement is in effect until March 2020.