BALDWIN COUNTY WORK SESSION October 14, 2024 1601 N Columbia St, Suite 240 1:00 PM  MINUTES  MEMBERS PRESENT John Westmoreland, Chair Kendrick Butts Sammy Hall Emily Davis Henry Craig viat telephone OTHERS PRESENT Carlos Tobar Dawn Hudson Cindy Cunningham Bo Danuser CALLTOORDER PM.  Chairman John Westmoreland called the October 1, 2024 work session to order at 1:00  BUDGET PRESENTATION  Assistant County Manager Dawn Hudson presented the proposed line item budget to the Commission Members. She stated that they were $472,000 from beingi in balance. Ms. Hudson reviewed the anticipated expenditures in each departmental line items.  Ms. Hudson gave and discussed the revenue figure for: anticipated tax collection based on the 2024 levy, LOST revenues had increased by 2.5 percent projected aquatic center revenues, and There was a discussion about the aquatic center: al loss was shown for thet first year to be conservative awarding contracts for management the difficulty of getting life guards  grant revenues golf course revenues recreation revenues adopting policies  being required to have a certified pool operator on site at all times of operation the County's lack of experience in managing an aquatic center Ms. Hudson discussed the line items in each department to include: there was no change to the travel and training line item  Elected Officials: Voters Registration:  cost of livingi increases for elected officials and a supplement for the chair combining voter's registration with elections and forming a new board  2025 would not be al large election year    $78,000 had been seti for the new position of Election Superintendent and was based on surrounding counties as were the line item totals for the department  There was a discussion about setting up the Board of Elections. Administrative Offices including Manager and Finance: there was only ani increase ini the salaries and benefits  software maintenance  GIS/T  there was very little increase changes in employees  using interns from Georgia College and State University that number could be found on the budget spreadsheet. there were no new requests except in the salary increases  There was a discussion about the number of employees in each department and where  Tax Commissioner: tax sales Board of Assessors:  the Tax Commissioner's salary was set by statute but the county gave a supplement there were vacant positions that had not been filled ini three years the Board of Assessors met every month and had requested $100 per meeting There was a discussion about finding the money to balance the budget.  Public Buildings and Maintenance:  line item included maintenance, repairs, and service contracts for the courthouse, government building, EMA and health department and senior citizens center included county wide expenditures that did not fit in any other line item  General Government: employee wellness program community promotions Community in Schools program the TAN note  There was a discussion about providing funding to Community in Schools and the County Manager Carlos Tobar explained the defined contribution and defined benefit  community promotions the county supported through advertising.  plans. Superior Court: Clerk of Courts:  Baldwin County was thel largest in the circuit Requested increase in the salary for the court reporter request for an increase in salaries  request fori funds fori imaging and scanning to archive old files request for funds for jury check in scanners and juror per diem debit cards There was a discussion about travel and training costs.  District Attorney: DistrictA Attorneys  request for $10,000 increase int the salary supplement for each of the 4/ Assistance  request for a vehicle for the investigator  There was a discussion about the Assistant District Attorney's stipends.    There was a discussion about having toi find $472,000 to balance the budget. State Court Judge was part time and got the same salary increase as other state  State Court: elected officials State Court Solicitor:  State Court generated close to one million dollars per year  most of the fines were set byt the State  request for an increase in salaries, supplies and training line items There was a discussion about the victim's assistance fees added to cases.  Magistrate Court: Probate Court:  employees receiving cost of living salary increases there were 4 part time magistrates employees receiving cost of living salary increases request fori funding for mandated e-filing of records and the upfront cost of purchasing scanners in order to comply with those mandates There was a discussion about using sales tax money for capital purchases.  Juvenile Court: conflict attorneys Public Defender: Public Safety: Jail:  they returned money that wasn't used back to the counties  request for 3 positions, the number of employees and the starting salary of deputies  increases were for payroll inmate medical cost had increased meals cost had increased  repeat offenders beingi incarcerated due to mental health that the linei item was based on the previous years of history.  There was a discussion about the maintenance of the jail buildings and grounds and  Emergency Management Service: the line item was based on the contract  Coroner: Animal Control:  line item increase was based on the cost of living and longevity raises  There was a discussion about the animal control including the maximum numbers of animals the shelter could hold, the methods and personnel for getting animals adopted, euthanasia, becoming al kill shelter, spaying and neutering animals, lowering the limit of  animals kept and creating a new policy. Emergency Management. Agency:  county funded the director and deputy director positions  the need for storage space for GEMA and FEMA emergency items, including water  Public Works: using SPLOST funds  3    paving roads and the paving list through the leasing company contracting with River's Edge level of funding for DFACS providing indigent funeral services overview was paid to run the Senior Center increase ini the request and using SPLOST funds there was no longer a contract with GCSU to use their pool There was a discussion about maintenance at the Recreation Department.  the shop only serviced the heavy equipment with all other vehicle maintenance done  Public Health:  Recreation:  Golf:  thel largest increase was in salaries and benefits  Library Administration: the cost was split with the city library branches County Extension: Forestry Services: Development Authority:  The discussion returned to recreation and providing transportation for participants. request for the 4-H position to become full time, the county's portion would be  $20,000, and that the 4-H program was an active program this linei item is what the county paid to help prevent forest fires One Georgia Loan interest payments would be for two more years  request for an increase in salary  Airport:  there was not al lot of adjustment to the linei item  revenue generated from hangar rental, personal property taxes on the planes, and per the Service Delivery Strategy, there would be at transfer of funds to the library for  movie location fees Transfers from General Fund: capital improvements. Transfer of subsidy funds to E911 There was a discussion about: property and liability insurance  Ms. Hudson stated that there was no contingency included in the budget.  retirement increased buts should stabilized because of the change in plan changing the policy for animal control and commissioners having shelter information 77% oft the proposed budget increases were for salary and benefits There was a discussion abouti increasing revenues by adding housing to the tax base. There was a discussion about increasing the millage rate to 10.32, that the budget was over by $472,000, there was about at three-month operation contingency, and the TAN  budget adoption was required by December 31st  presented toi them  note.    The commissioners thanked Ms. Hudson fori the information and would like to have  budget meetings like this every year.  ADJOURNMENT  Commissioner Hall made ar motion to adjourn the work session at 3:53 PM. Commissioner Butts seconded the motion and was approved unanimously.  Respectfully: submitted, AIBARP  bhn! Chair  K. GAGg Cindy Cunningham, County Clerk  5