Show me the money

County discusses 2019 budget

DeKalb County officials held a special called finance, audit and budget committee meeting Jan. 11 to review the fiscal year 2019 recommended budget. Commissioners have until March 1 to approve the budget and will discuss the budget in committee meetings throughout January and February.

County officials said DeKalb eliminated a $24.7 million deficit and increased the fund balance to $103 million. Called the county’s “rainy day” fund by DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, the $103-million fund balance could cover approximately two months of county operating expenses.

“We believe with this budget we have achieved financial stability. In 2019 and beyond, we’re positioning ourselves to deal with structural deficits,” DeKalb County COO Zach Williams said.

In years prior, Williams said the county approved budgets that included “padded funding” in some departments. The additional funds left over were put into the general fund balance. Now that the county’s fund balance has reached approximately $103 million, Williams said the county will more accurately fund departments.

“We are convinced that this way of budgeting is a much more precise, much more transparent way of budgeting and is going to show everyone ‘here’s what we actually need and here’s what we say we’re going to do, and we monitor it to ensure it’s done,’” Williams said. “If there are circumstances that come up, that’s the beauty of developing a two-month fund balance.”

During the special called budget meeting, DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson questioned if there is a contingency plan in place for departments that may receive less funding in 2019.

“If you’re just giving [departments] what they didn’t spend last year, and something pops up, they’re going to have to come back before [the county commission] to request funding,” Johnson said. “When you talk about padding, how are you handling that?”

County officials said they plan to keep an eye on spending and monitor departments as needed.

DeKalb County Commissioner Nancy Jester said she agrees with how the county plans to budget in 2019.

“It’s going to be tight, but it’s more transparent,” Jester said. “There [are] pluses and minuses. There are strange emergencies that will come up, but I just think it’s more transparent. Everybody will know it and we’ll discuss it and it will certainly give the board more information and more influence on the spending policies.”

The proposed budget for 2019 will also include a 3-percent raise for all county employees who did not receive a raise in October 2018. County employees will also earn a minimum wage of $15 an hour.

DeKalb County commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour could be discouraging to employees who have worked with the county for years and earned a salary increase based on merits.

“Was there any consideration in this budget for employees who have served at the minimum wage? Who were team leads within their department? Who will now have new hires who will be making the same salary?” Cochran-Johnson asked.

Williams said county officials will take merit-based pay into consideration.
“We’ve certainly been sensitive to that in the past and will deal with it as needed,” Williams said. “We are probably in a much better position now to have those conversations.”

The first scheduled public hearing meeting on the 2019 budget will be Feb. 12.