PELL CITY — The St. Clair County Commission intends to continue discussing its budget for Fiscal Year 2013 later this week and into next week, as well.
At the behest of Commissioner Paul Manning, the commission recessed Tuesday’s regular meeting and called a special meeting for Thursday, at the Ashville Administrative Center, at 1 p.m. The purpose of that meeting will be to continue discussions regarding the budget. Commission Chairman Stan Batemon also requested another special meeting on Sept. 4 at 9 a.m., also to discuss the budget.
“We have another month to put our budget together,” Batemon said. “It’s sort of a moving target right now.”
The commission heard about budgetary needs from various entities at Tuesday’s meeting. Carolyn Fortner, from the Middle Alabama Area Agency on Aging, said her agency is soliciting $5,000 contributions from each municipality — Odenville, Springville, Ashville and Moody — that uses public transportation for its senior programs, in order to cover a shortfall in next year’s budget.
“That shortfall is going to continue to grow,” Fortner said. “At some point we’re going to have to sit down and think about limiting transportation, if we can’t cover it.”
Circuit Clerk Annette Hall also talked to the commission about continuing to provide funds to cover benefits for one of her employees in the clerk’s office.
“It’s something we desperately need,” Hall said. “Even if I can only have six months, I think I might break even. At six months, I’ll have time to see how (the fund) is building. “
DeAnna Byrd was also on hand to discuss the Safe Schools Initiative — the county has helped provide funding for School Resource Officers in Odenville.
“This is the final year for this program, unless something miraculous happens,” Byrd said. “(Superintendent) Jenny Seals and I have been meeting to discuss some possible ways we might keep it going.”
The county’s chief financial officer, Donna Wood, told the commission a month ago that she was recommending a $1 million cut in expenditures for the budget before it is passed. Commissioners are required by law to pass the budget before the Fiscal Year begins Oct. 1.
