Department heads struggle with budget restrictions

In 2009, Barrow County has allocated $20.8 million to public safety, a $1.4 million increase from 2008.

Though the budget is being increased, some existing items will be left unfunded for the next fiscal year and numerous funding requests were rejected.

Six vacant positions will be unfunded in the new budget. Requests for 23 fire department personnel, six court security positions and upgrades or reclassifications for 17 sheriff and detention center positions were not included in the budget.

Over $1.2 million in capital requests were also excluded from the budget.

For judicial services, the county has budgeted $3.9 million for the next year, a scant $200,000 increase from 2008.

District Attorney Rick Bridgeman said budget cuts at state level were having an impact on his department’s ability to provide services. The state recently announced that employees located within district attorney’s offices throughout the state would be furloughed for one day a month beginning immediately. Bridgeman said the furloughs may increase to six days a month in January.

Bridgeman reiterated his need for a county funded calendar clerk, especially as his office deals with fewer available working hours from his six state funded employees.

Magistrate Court Judge June Davis also asked the commissioners for more help. Davis’ office is one of several that will actually see a reduction in funding for 2009. Her operating budget is projected to decrease from $360,000 to $326,000 despite an increasing case load.

In the past year, the number of cases heard in Magistrate Court has increased almost ten percent, according to Davis.

In addition to Davis, one part time judge is assigned to try cases in Magistrate Court. The budget only provides enough money to allow the part time judge to work just over 40 hours each month. Davis said she needs at least 80 hours of help.

Davis also requested additional money for professional services. Currently, if a defendant requests and attorney or an interpreter, the costs are funded out of the professional services line item which is only $1,600 for fiscal year 2009.

“If I have three shoplifting cases and they all wanted an attorney and if two spoke Spanish, I’d already be over budget,” Davis said.

Last year, Davis said she worked to save the county money, but needs help to make the current budget feasible.

“We all have to work together to get through it,” she said. “I just want to make sure we can get through it.”

The Barrow County Board of Commissioners will vote on the proposed 2009 budget at its September 23 meeting. A public hearing on the budget will be held Thursday, September 18 at 6 p.m. in the board room of the Barrow County Administration Building located at 233 East Broad Street in Winder.