Two called BOC meetings next week

The first meeting will be at noon Monday, when the commissioners will choose the FY2011 health care insurance plan for employees. One of the options would significantly increase employees’ shares of premiums.

The second meeting will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday, when the full board will face tough choices regarding service cuts and tax hikes, or both, in order to balance the FY2011 budget.

Department managers and elected officials have submitted spending requests to a county budget committee, and those requests have been pared down some. However, at this point, projected revenues still are millions of dollars under projected expenditures.

CFO Rose Kisaalita said at a budget committee meeting Wednesday that without the direction of the full board, her staff would have difficulty producing a balanced budget.

Barrow County Commission Chairman Danny Yearwood and two other commissioners at the meeting acknowledged that a hike in the property tax rate likely will be necessary.

Commissioner Steve Worley said he would not vote to raise taxes until after the county government makes every spending cut, but he said he too is “worried” about the finances.

Both meetings are open to the public and will be held in the Board of Commissioners Meeting Room.