Christian County Fiscal Court will hear first reading of its budget for the upcoming fiscal year Tuesday morning and Judge-Executive Jerry Gilliam gave his first budget address Monday morning in the courthouse.
The $43.5 million spending plan is about 2.3 million less than the current budget and it includes just under $11 million in COVID relief grant funds.
In the way of capital projects, Judge Gilliam says there is money for continued renovations to the Christian County Courthouse on South Main Street, with an eye on major improvements in the future.
The judge says he and the budget committee did what he calls a “reallocation” of how agencies supported by the county are funded.
He says about $2.3 million is being carried over into the next fiscal year to balance the budget, which is less than a year ago.
Judge Gilliam says inflation continues to be a challenge for the county and fiscal court intends to eat a 10-percent increase in health insurance costs instead of passing any of it along to their employees. The proposed budget would also give county employees a five-percent increase in pay.
If magistrates approve first reading of a budget Tuesday morning, it would then be sent to the Department for Local Government for approval and fiscal court would likely have it in its hands again for final reading at a June 20 meeting.
Watch the entire budget address below:
https://www.facebook.com/100064667473326/videos/1219144041954537