CLEVELAND, Ga. – The White County Board of Commissioners will hold a second public hearing and consider adoption of the proposed Fiscal Year 2019 budget Monday (June 18) at 4:30 p.m.

The general fund budget is proposed at $18,925,734 combined with a separate fund balance of $4,737,665 for a total budget of $23,663,399, which represents an increase of 11.8 percent in the 2018 budget.

County Manager Michael Melton said during the first public hearing last week the $2 million increase in this year’s budget is the result of adding positions in the fire department, roads and bridges and parks and recreation and a $2 an hour pay raise for employees other than public safety, which received their pay raise earlier this year.

The county has a reserve fund of approximately $4 million and commissioners are considering using about $1.2 million from that fund to balance the budget which would leave about 2.6 months of operational funds to cover an emergency.

Commissioners will also consider approval of a design change presented by Carter & Sloope for the Yonah Preserve football field area, a cost estimate provided by Charles Black Construction for finishing one football field at Yonah Preserve and a lighting service agreement with Georgia Power for Yonah Preserve.

Other issues to be addressed by the Board include the approval of the renewal contract with the Chattahoochee Group for landscaping at Freedom Park and revisions to the current special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) road project timeline.

Finance Director Jodi Ligon will present the monthly financial status report.

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