[I. OPENING]
[00:00:02]
GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON.
LET ME WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR.
TUESDAY, JUNE THE 2ND, 2026 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING.
WE GENERALLY START WITH OUR INVOCATION AND WE HAVE THE PLEDGE TO THE FLAG.
EXCUSE ME, I, I PASTOR IS NOT EVIDENTLY NOT HERE.
THERE HE IS. OH, THERE HE IS. AMEN.
FORGIVE ME. I'M SITTING THERE LOOKING AT YOU AND SAYING THAT PLEASE, PLEASE COME UP. DAVID IS GOING TO GIVE OUR INVOCATION.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE PLEDGE TO THE FLAG.
AND I'M GOING TO ASK COMMISSIONER MCCAMY TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE TO THE FLAG.
LET US PRAY. GRACIOUS HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU, FATHER, FOR THE CHANCE TO COME TOGETHER. FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS THIS ASSEMBLAGE TODAY. FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS OUR LEADERS.
GIVE THEM THE KNOWLEDGE. GIVE THEM THE COURAGE, FATHER, TO DO THAT WHICH WE STAND IN NEED OF. FATHER LORD, GUIDE THEM, BLESS THEM, LORD, AND AND HELP THEM.
LORD, LET IT BE A BEACON AMONGST OUR COMMUNITY.
FATHER, JUST BE WITH US IN YOUR HOLY AND PRECIOUS NAME.
FACE THE FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU. PLEASE FORGIVE ME BECAUSE YOU'VE JUST ABOUT BECOME OUR CHAPLAIN THE LAST MONTH OR TWO. SO MY BAD.
ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA IN THE MINUTES.
[III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA/MINUTES]
SO FIRST WE HAVE THE APPROVAL OF THE FINAL AGENDA.DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? I MAKE A MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT.
MOTION CARRIED. NEXT IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM TROUP COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION, WHICH WAS HELD ON MAY THE 19TH, 2026. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED, MR. CHAIR. ALL RIGHT. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT.
AND FINALLY, THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOARD MEETING, WHICH WAS HELD ON MAY THE 19TH, 2026.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO BE APPROVED? MAKE A MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MOTION IS CARRIED.
SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE COUNTY MANAGER.
WELL, BEFORE WE DO, WE NEED TO MOVE INTO PUBLIC HEARING. OH, I'M SORRY, I APOLOGIZE. SPECIAL BUSINESS. I'M APOLOGIZE.
[IV. Special Business ]
YOU CAN? YEAH, I CAN PROBABLY SHOULDN'T.ALL RIGHT. FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE USTA GEORGIA FACILITIES GRANT AWARD. THE TOTAL PROJECT FOR THE FUND IS $4,800 WITH A $2,400 MATCH.
THAT MATCH WOULD COME FROM THE PARKS AND RECREATION FY 26 BUDGET.
ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
IF NOT, THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THE USTA GEORGIA FACILITIES GRANT AWARD. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT.
THAT WAS IT. NOW I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION THAT WE COME OUT OF THE REGULAR MEETING AND GO
[V. Public Hearings ]
INTO PUBLIC HEARING. SO MOVED.ALL RIGHT. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MOTION IS CARRIED. SO THIS TIME I'LL TURN IT OVER TO SONIA.
WELL, TONIGHT IS THE FIRST OF TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS REQUIRED TO BE HELD FOR THIS BUDGET.
THE HEARINGS WERE ADVERTISED IN THE LAGRANGE DAILY ON MAY THE 20TH.
COPIES OF THE BUDGET FOR FY 27 WERE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR THEIR REVIEW.
ON MAY THE 26TH AT THE LAGRANGE MEMORIAL LIBRARY HOGANSVILLE LIBRARY, THE HAWKS LIBRARY IN WEST POINT, AND IT IS ON OUR WEBSITE.
THE NEXT HEARING AND HOPEFUL ADOPTION WILL BE AT THE JUNE 16TH, 5 P.M. REGULAR MEETING.
AT THE WORK SESSION ON MAY THE 12TH, WE DISCUSSED THE DRAFT 27 BUDGET.
WE REVIEWED THE DRAFT AND DISCUSSED THE INCREASES REQUESTED BY THE DEPARTMENTS.
I'VE INCORPORATED YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS, AS WELL AS UPDATED REVENUES BASED ON INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVED FROM OUR TAX OFFICIALS.
AND THESE CHANGES ARE REFLECTED IN WHAT WE ARE PRESENTING TONIGHT.
SO IF EVERYONE HAS THEIR DOCUMENT ON PAGE SEVEN IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE REVENUES AND THE EXPENDITURES. THE TOTAL BUDGET FOR FY 27 IS PROPOSED AT SIX $69,030,526.
THIS PAGE SHOWS THE REVENUE TYPES.
IT SHOWS THE SPECIFIC TAXES, BUT THEN IT SHOWS THE OTHER TYPES WITH THE
[00:05:01]
REVENUES LISTED AS THE LICENSES AND PERMITS, INTER-GOVERNMENTAL CHARGES FOR SERVICES, FUNDS AND OTHER REVENUE SOURCES.AND THEN DOWN AT THE BOTTOM, IT SHOWS THE EXPENDITURES BY FUNCTION.
ADDITIONS TO THE EXPENSES AS DISCUSSED AT THE MAY 12TH WORK SESSION ARE PRIMARILY IN PUBLIC SAFETY AND JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION, AND THEY INCLUDE THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY BEING AWARDED ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR $200,000.
THE PUBLIC DEFENDER RECEIVED $78,075 AND THE CLERK OF COURT A LITTLE OVER $28,000 FOR AN ADDITIONAL PART TIME POSITION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
THE POAB RETIREMENT BENEFIT FUNDING FOR ALL PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES WAS A LITTLE OVER 109,000. AND THEN RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT THE SHERIFF AND JAILER INCENTIVE, MERIT SALARY INCREASE.
IT'S ABOUT 150 000 AFFECTING THE BUDGET BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT POTENTIALLY COULD COST 600 000. AND THEN WE WERE GOING TO FIT, WE WERE GOING TO OFFSET THAT WITH UNFILLED POSITIONS FOR Y'ALL TO DECIDE ON HOW YOU WANT TO HANDLE THAT.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE ABOUT 150, 000.
AND THEN INMATE FOOD SERVICES, WE ADJUSTED 150,000.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE'VE GOT A LITTLE OVER $360,000 FOR CONTINGENCY THIS YEAR.
AND ALSO A 5% COLA FOR ALL EMPLOYEES EFFECTIVE JANUARY OF 27.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS PAGE YET? SONIA, WHAT WAS THE WHAT WAS THE BUDGET APPROVED BEFORE IT WAS AMENDED LAST YEAR? THE BUDGET BEFORE IT WAS AMENDED WAS.
YEAH. THAT WAS THE ADOPTED BUDGET THAT WAS ADOPTED.
3184 50 YES, YES. SO YEAH, SO THE AMENDED BUDGET FOR 26 CURRENTLY IS 69 MILLION. 318 YEAH. AND SO WE'RE PROPOSING.
69030 THANK YOU. SO ON PAGE EIGHT WE HAVE SOME GRAPHS THAT, THAT HELP VISUALIZE OUR REVENUES.
AND OF COURSE, THAT BIG PIECE OF PIE THERE IS TAXES AND THAT'S ALL TAXES, NOT JUST PROPERTY TAXES.
AND THEN IT BREAKS IT DOWN INTO PRIMARILY THE CHARGES FOR SERVICES AND THE FINES AND FORFEITURES AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL MAKE UP OF MOST OF THE REST OF THAT PIE.
WHAT'S THE, IF THIS HOUSE BILL, IT'S GOING TO GO INTO EFFECT ON TAXES.
WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE PERCENTAGE ON THAT COMING OUT? YOU GOT IT ALL.
ALL THE TAXES. DO YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF WHAT KIND OF IDEA THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT IN A COUPLE OF YEARS? NO NOT YET. THIS IS JUST BASED ON THE CURRENT DIGEST THAT WE HAVE.
ON THE GRADE DOWN THERE IN THIS PIE CHART. WHAT IS CHARGES FOR SERVICES.
OKAY. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE FEES THAT WE CAN CHARGE IN THE COURTS AS WELL AS SOME AGENT FEES, ELECTION FEES PRISONER INMATE HOUSING THAT WE CHARGE THE CITIES TO HOUSE SCHOOL COMMISSIONS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
AND THAT DETAIL IS INCLUDED LATER IN FURTHER DOWN IN THE BUDGET.
SO OF THAT PIE THERE, THAT 82% THAT'S TAXES.
74% OF THAT IS PROPERTY TAXES.
AND ON THE NEXT PAGE, YOU SEE A GRAPH THAT SHOWS IT'S A BAR GRAPH AND IT SHOWS THE ASSESSED VALUE OF THE 26, THE 26 ASSESSED VALUE.
AND OF COURSE IT SHOWS THE BIG TALL COLUMN.
THERE IS RESIDENTIAL TAXES THAT IS AT 41%.
THE NEXT TALLEST COLUMN IS INDUSTRIAL.
AND THEN THE THIRD IS GOING TO BE COMMERCIAL.
BUT IF YOU TAKE ALL THE COLUMNS TO THE RIGHT OF RESIDENTIAL AND ADD THOSE UP,
[00:10:02]
THEY EQUAL 59%, WHICH IS STILL THE EQUAL MORE THAN WHAT WE HAVE IN RESIDENTIAL ASSESSED VALUE. AND THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.I LOOKED AT SOME OF THE OTHER COUNTIES AROUND US AND THEY ARE NOT IN THAT POSITION.
GOING FURTHER TO PAGE TEN IS A PIE CHART FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
I'M SORRY, IT'S A PIE CHART FOR EXPENSES.
BUT THE PIE IS PUBLIC SAFETY AT 48%.
AND THEN GENERAL GOVERNMENT AND JUDICIAL JUST ABOUT HIGH.
AND THEN WE HAVE PARKS AND REC AT 9%.
GENERAL GOVERNMENT AND JUDICIAL IS RIGHT AT A LITTLE ABOUT 13.7%.
SO PUBLIC SAFETY WOULD INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD INCLUDE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE SHERIFF, THE JAILERS OR THE JAIL 911 AND THE MARSHAL'S OFFICE. THE NEXT CHART THAT WE HAVE ON PAGE 11 IS A VISUAL OF NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE LONGEST PART OF OR THE LONGEST BAR IS PUBLIC SAFETY AT 286 EMPLOYEES. AND THEIR EXPENSES A LITTLE OVER $28 MILLION OF THE BUDGET.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT.
SO AT PAGE 12 IT BEGINS THE THE REVENUE DETAIL BY SOURCE.
AND LIKE THE QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED ABOUT WHAT CHARGES FOR SERVICES ARE.
IT GIVES YOU EACH AND EVERY GENERAL FUND REVENUE BY TYPE.
SO UNDER TAXES IT'S VERY PLAIN TO SEE HOW MUCH OF THAT IS PERSONAL AND REAL PROPERTY AND AND LOST AND OTHER TAXES.
AND SAME WAY FOR EVERY REVENUE.
DOES ANYTHING STAND OUT THAT YOU WANT TO ASK ABOUT? NOT. ON PAGE 15 IS THE APPROPRIATIONS BY DEPARTMENT SHOWING THE 26 AMENDED BUDGET COMPARED TO THE 27 AND THE CHANGE.
I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES ON HERE WAS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
AND THEN STARTING ON PAGE 19 IS THE REVENUE DETAIL BY DEPARTMENT, AND THEN THE EXPENSE DETAIL BY DEPARTMENT.
EVERY LINE ITEM OF THE GENERAL FUND.
I THINK WE'VE BEEN TOLD BEFORE WE DIDN'T HAVE A LINE ITEM BUDGET.
WE DO. AND THEN AT THE VERY BACK ON PAGE 57 IS A LIST OF ALL THE OTHER FUNDS AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR EACH OF THOSE FUNDS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? WHAT IS THE BUDGET ON THE WASTE MANAGEMENT FUND IS THE LANDFILL.
SO THAT IS FRANCHISE AND HOUSES THAT SIT THERE AND WE ACCUMULATE THOSE SO THAT WE CAN.
[00:15:03]
OKAY. THAT'S THE PLUS COMING IN. IS THAT CORRECT? YES. OKAY. YES. AND THEN WE OFFSET SOME EXPENSES THAT ARE STILL TIED TO THOSE FACILITIES. WE'RE STILL SUPPORTING THE MAINTENANCE OF OF THOSE PROPERTIES.WE GET SOME MONEY FROM CURBSIDE PICK UP AS WELL.
WHAT'S IT LISTED. HOW IS IT LISTED.
IT'S LISTED IN THAT SAME FUND.
YES SIR. SO IT'S NOT BROKE DOWN ON WHAT THE LANDFILL VERSUS.
UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. I EXTENDED MY PROPOSAL.
OKAY. I DO WANT TO THANK MACKENZIE AND CARLOS AND ERIC AND ALL THE DEPARTMENTS FOR THEIR HELP IN PUTTING THIS BUDGET TOGETHER.
I'M PROUD OF IT. LET ME ASK YOU THIS, SONIA.
WE KNOW THAT OUR. ALL OUR FINANCIAL DATA HAS TO BE IN BY THE END OF THE YEAR SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT TO THE STATE OF GEORGIA.
HAVE WE ALREADY GOT ANYTHING BACK FROM THEM? DO WE TYPICALLY GET ANYTHING BACK FROM THEM THAT SAYS THAT THAT WAS COMPLETED, OR THEY JUST CHECK IT OFF AND SAY THEY'VE RECEIVED IT? YOU TALKING ABOUT THE THE DIGEST, THE.
NO, NO, THE ONE WHERE WE HAVE TO SUBMIT ALL OF THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION TO OUR AUDITOR, BUT TO THE AUDITOR HELPS US GET IT TO THE STATE BY 1231.
WE'RE ALL GOOD WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE.
WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE. SO THEY SEND US SOMETHING BACK, ACKNOWLEDGES DFLGFOA ALSO ACKNOWLEDGES THAT AS WELL.
YES, YES. SO WE ARE AWAITING OUR CERTIFICATION OF EXCELLENCE FROM GFOA.
BUT THEY ARE IN REVIEW IS TYPICAL FOR THEM TO TAKE ABOUT SIX MONTHS TO DO THE REVIEW.
I'M HOPING THEY APPROVE OUR FY 25 AUDIT SOON BEFORE WE GET STARTED.
BUT THE STATE LET'S YOU I MEAN, THEY'LL PUT YOU ON A LIST REAL QUICK IF YOU DON'T. OH, YEAH. IF YOU DON'T. IN COMPLIANCE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GOT ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT WE HAD RECEIVED. THEY HAD RECEIVED EVERYTHING. OKAY.
YEAH. WE HAVE A T SHIRT FOR IT.
YEAH. I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
ALL RIGHT. ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NOT. I'M GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME AND MAKE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THE BUDGET, YOU'RE WELCOME TO. ALL RIGHT.
HEARING NONE. THEN I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION THAT WE EXIT THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ADJOURN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT.
MOTION CARRIED. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
LIKE Y'ALL ALREADY JUMPED UP IN THE BACK OF
THE CHURCH. Y'ALL WERE GETTING READY TO LEAVE. I KNOW, I UNDERSTAND.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.