Limestone budget includes 3% cost-of-living raises, 2 additional dispatchers

The County Commission approved the fiscal 2022 budget last week, and it will take effect Oct. 1. The budget totals $45,373,578 for revenue and expenses, including transfers and balances that were carried over. It's $1,699,238 more than the fiscal 2021 budget.

Collin Daly, chairman of the Limestone County Commission, said actual revenue may show a small increase over the budget estimates during the course of the year.

“We expect it to grow some," he said. "We’re always really conservative with our budget." He said that's in case something unexpected happens with revenue or expenses.

In reality, he said, "We’ll probably have a 1% growth that we don’t anticipate.”

All county employees will receive a cost-of-living raise of 3%, effective Oct. 3. “A lot of these budget increases (for individual departments) are that cost-of-living, plus we do merit increases. Plus, insurance and stuff like that,” Daly said.

Someone who is grade one, step one, like a high school student working for the county from the career tech program, would go from making $9.04 per hour to $9.31. The highest level, grade 18, step 17, will see an increase from $80.91 to $83.34 in hourly pay.

Commissioner Daryl Sammet said he was pleased with the way county department heads formulated their budgets.

"We’re pretty much level funding," Sammet said. "Of course, the growth of the county always causes an increase. But everybody’s just done real well with it.”

According to Daly, “We are adding a total of three positions, although there may be more on the way. There’s one in the probate judge’s office, and two dispatchers at the Sheriff’s Office to cover the load.”

The Sheriff’s Office, jail, and related programs make up 65.5% of the general fund portion of the budget. They will see an almost $800,000 increase in 2022. According to Daly, the Sheriff’s Office, jail, courthouse security and school resource officers, all together, have the largest number of employees with the largest payroll.

“You’re always going to have increases,” said Daly. He said the Board of Registrars' budget was increased due to the cost of postage going up.

The Emergency Management Agency had an increase of $13,222. According to Daly, “We updated some radio areas, plus we are going to pave the parking lot, and just things like that.” He also said the EMA will be getting some new equipment.

Public Highway and Traffic will be receiving a $10,000 increase. “We did some traffic studies and things like that. But we’re using some reserves on that,” said Daly.

Daly said every department will see an increase. “Their salary is paid out of their budget, so if you have a 3% cost-of-living raise, you have to factor that in there, too.”