LUMPKIN COUNTY Board of Commissioners Special Called Work Session Agenda Executive Conference Room 99 Courthouse Hill Dahlonega, GA 30533 June 20, 2024 9:00AM  OU  DAMLOHEGA  CALL TO ORDER DISCUSS 2025 BUDGET 9:00 AM1 to 9:30 AM- -Library ADJOURNMENT    LUMPKIN COUNTY Board of Commissioners Special Called Work Session Minutes Executive Conference Room 99 Courthouse Hill Dahlonega, GA 30533 June 20, 2024 9:00AM  COUNTI  DAHLOMECA  CALLTO ORDER  The meeting was called to order at 9:00 am. Present were Chairman Chris Dockery and Commissioners Bobby Mayfield,  Rhett Stringer, and. JeffI Moran. Tucker Greene was absent.  DISCUSS! 2025 BUDGET 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM-Library  Chairman Dockery explained how the budget process works. The County Manager gives al balanced budget to the Board and they as a Board determine how they keep fuel ini thei firet trucks, sheriffs cars on the roads, and enough employees to keept the county going. The Chairman read over thel library's five budget requests totaling $75,249. The five requests included the state health benefits plan increase, thej prior year's budget deficit, library materials, a 3% employee COLA, and an increase in open hours. The increase int the state benefits was discussed last year and thej prior year's budget deficit was covered last year from the savings ini their fund balance. Thei increase in the library materials was fori replacement of old Library Director Leslie Clark discussed the large turnover ofs staff and the expenses associated with hiring new staff. She said staff turnoveri is a big issue. Thel library does have fund balance tol help cover the recurring costs, but that is not sustainable. They will need $29,719 overt the next two years to break even and that does not factor in COLA or materials. That amount will not provide any new services; iti isj just to1 maintain what is offered now. They do receive some state grant money but that does not cover all oft their cost. Unassigned: fund balance is how library materials are being purchased; Ms. Clark said they are trying tol ber responsive to the costs increasing inl health insurance. The stafft turnover is higher when you do notl have the benefits. They did make changes to staff and went from 4 full-time to 3 andi made the full-time position 2p part-time positions to assist int thel health insurance cost. Chairman Dockery asked what the $11,503 budget deficit was for exactly. Ms. Clark respondedi it was from thei increase in utilities, books, supplies, and shipping. Chairman Dockery asked about the unassigned fund balance andi it is about 9%. Chairman Dockery agrees with the employees receiving a 3%0 COLA and covering thei increase int the state health insurance. Hej proposed they pay $13,000 from their unassigned fund balance leaving a $24,486 increase paid by the county. That would cover the cost of the COLA, health insurance increase, and their Chairman Dockery asked how do we continue toi run the government as efficiently as we can. Ifv we give the employees that livei int the county a COLA and pay their health insurance increase but raise their property taxes then what have done? We haven'th helped them out at all. Het thinks thati iti is important tot take care oft the employees but they may not be able to cover the cost of the reading materials. Ms. Clark said they could use their fund balance to cover the cost oft the materials for the next twos years. Chairman Dockery said thel Board willl look at it and come up with the funding for the COLA and health insurance. Hes suggested thej people in attendance could help dos some: fundraising for the materials. Ms. Clark said they would like tol have another giving campaign tol help assist with the materials cost. Another obstacle is determining how to get the materials, digital or inj print. There is no longer ai need to get CDs ofbooks like therel has been ini the past because most cars no longer have CDj players ini them. They did as survey ands she was surprised by the amount that wished they were open on Sunday but that just is not possible. There isi no way they could sustain that with the staffa and cost. She appreciates  materials andt to purchase new materials for a library that size.  however, these funds fori materials will run out ini two years.  budget deficit.  the Commissioners fori recognizing the staff.  Special Called Work Session June 20, 2024 1    Chairman! Dockery reiterated they will take al look at all oft their requests. Robin Hall commented: hel has been on thel Library Board for 7 years and the county put al lot of capital in the new library. Hei realizes money is short but asks ift they can find Commissioner Stringer asked what is thel bare minimum staffing they could have working at one time. Could they, for example, have one person from 5:30 - 61 PM? Ms. Clark responded no, because of the size oft the facility and all oft the things happening iti is more than what one] person could watch over at at time. The minimum is two employees in the morning and evening but they need 3-4 ini the afternoon. When questionedi if volunteers could be used more, she explained thei issue is they cannot use thel Pines system. The volunteers have notl had al background check andt that is required because therei isi information that is protected ini the system. They have a couple ofs self-checks but peoplet tend tol like the one-on-one contact. Chairman Dockery said that he is proud oft thel library and commended them onl how muchi is offered there.  any way of getting more use oft the facility outside that would be great.  ADJOURNMENT Thei meeting was adjourned at 9:38 am. Dlalgl4,a0s  L 1 Chris Dockery,Chairman Lumpkin County Board ofCommissioners  Attest: Melissa Clerk, Lumpkin County  Pdonidicly  Special Called Work Session June 20, 2024 2