Bryan County Finance Director John Grotheer had some good news and some not-so-good news for county commissioners at a recent meeting in Richmond Hill.
The good news: The county came in under its $19.527 million budget in 2014.
The not-so-good news: Even though the county came in under budget overall — it spent $19.122 million — some departments ran over budget, and that meant amending the 2014 fiscal year budget.
“Only commissioners can approve (the amendment),” Grotheer said during the April 14 meeting. “But I can’t say it enough, we’re under budget as a county.”
Commissioners wasted little time in approving the changes, which added up to some $773,500 and will come from the county’s general fund. The departments with the biggest changes were roads at $270,000, Emergency Medical Services at
$209,800 and the sheriff’s office with a $100,000 amendment.
Other agencies that needed budget amendments were the coroner’s office, Department of Family and Children Services, Family Connection, health department, juvenile justice, juvenile courts, libraries, magistrate court, probate court, transit, South Bryan Recreation, summer lunch, emergency management and state court. There also was an amendment of $129,000 in the county’s fire-protection fund.
Commissioners also approved the 2015 special recreation fund budget of
$351,021 — $279,521 in South Bryan and $71,500 in North Bryan.
And commissioners also approved an ordinance that will enable Bryan County Emergency Services to charge insurance companies of at-fault drivers for accidents that require a response from firefighters and first responders.
Richmond Hill also recently enacted such an ordinance, and several other agencies in the area have done the same.
The ordinance allows the county EMS, which responds to an average of 15 accidents a month, to charge based on incident and level of response and adds fees when extra manpower or equipment is needed.
Commissioners also approved the appointment of Brad Brookshire to the Development Authority of Bryan County. Brookshire will replace Dell Keith, who is leaving the authority before his term expires in July 2017.