Staff Reports
Commissioners took a first stab at the County’s 2023 budget Monday morning, and some requests didn’t make the cut.
While Commissioners didn’t approve or deny, officially, any requests as it was a workshop, their questions and responses indicated their desire to spend the bulk of their anticipated new funds on a flat raise for employees.
Tax Assessor Collector Karen Jones’ office, which now also handles the elections for Marion County, had put in a request for an additional employee to help with elections, but Commissioners were reluctant to add any full time staff.
Jones’ budget request for the elections duties also was impacted.
“I’m disappointed as my staff is already working diligently to handle all our existing tax related duties,” said Jones. “Without extra full time help some services may have to be limited during election periods.”
Marion County Judge Leward LaFleur stated several times during the workshop that the County was considering a “flat, across the board raise” for employees, so many individual requests for additional funding may not make the final budget. LaFleur would go on to say that he was adamantly opposed to raising property taxes this year and would vote against any such increase.
Commissioner Charlie Treadwell broached the subject of eliminating a position in the County Clerk’s office as Vickie Smith’s office no longer handled elections.
Smith had indicated in the past that if the County created an office of Elections Administrator she would give up a staff member to that office. The County, however, transferred the duties of Elections Coordinator to Jones’ office at the start of this year.
Smith also pointed out to Commissioners that she was leaving the office at the end of the year and, while her replacement has experience in the office, the other two members of her staff are new and it would not be in the best interest of the office to reduce personnel.
Justice of the Peace Pct 2 Allen Biddy also requested a salary increase citing how Commissioners reduced the salary in 2016 and the JP1 salary has received a disproportionate raise in that and subsequent years.
Biddy also requested funds for a Video Magistrate system for Pct 1 so he could handle jail appearances when out of town. The technology holds a $1,800 price tag and would only work for one JP Precinct. JP1 would have to spend the same funds for that office.
Constable Precinct 1 Ed Baird requested a $3,500, or 10%, salary increase. Constable Pct 2 Jeff Greer also requested a $2,953, or 13%, salary increase. Both were told those amounts were not on the table.
The Sheriff’s office, which has additional funding available from the newly started Sales Tax, so the request for a 22% raise for the Sheriff and a 6% raise for deputies, received more consideration.
Sheriff David Capps said he is currently short three deputies and has received only 1 application over the last three years. Capps cited the salary discrepancy between Marion and neighboring counties as the main reason for the vacancies.
“We’re falling behind,” said Capps. “We’ve got to do something to keep up or it’s going to get worse.”