County Budget Hearing For Fiscal Year 2025 Summary: Costs Are Up, Staffing Is Difficult

By LYDIA BERGLAR
News Editor

The Dade County Board of Commissioners’ public FY25 budget hearing on June 13 highlighted two issues that just about everyone has noticed and experienced in our society: Costs continue to increase, and great employees (who can work for uncompetitive pay) are hard to find.

The complete budget with departmental breakdowns was not ready/available until 5 p.m. at (the start of the hearing). It is available at www.dadecounty-ga.gov/368/FY-2025-Budget-Dade-County-Georgia.

Last year’s budgeted revenue and expenses were equal at $14,500,000. This year’s proposed revenue and expenses are also equal (making for a zero-based budget once again) at $15,322,000.

The FY25 proposed budget is $822,000 higher than last year’s approved budget. However, due to additional revenue leading to a budget amendment, the difference between FY24’s actual budget is only $638,000.

Primary causes of budget increases are rising insurance costs and cost of living adjustments (COLA) for employees. Several departments also requested new positions.

As usual, the budget hearing featured many heads of departments who summarized the changes in their budget and answered questions from the commission.

At the end of the meeting, Don Townsend (county CFO/clerk) summarized the budget increases as follows:

• $298,000 for new positions (two full-time for Dade County Sheriff’s Office, one full-time for Emergency Services, one full-time and one part-time for Building and Grounds)
• $250,000 total for COLA
• $102,000 total for health insurance increases
• $68,000 for contracted services for the Board of Property Assessor’s (this is only done every four or five years)
• $40,000 for the jail’s inmate food budget
• $25,000 for HVAC contract services (under Building and Grounds)
• $17,000 property insurance increase

Some departments’ budgets are the same as last year (such as the Dade County Public Library’s), and some are lower. For example, Juvenile Court’s proposed budget is lower because the caseload is currently lower. Fuel costs are also lower than they’ve been in recent years, which is saving Public Works (Road Department) some money.

One example of the difficulties faced in recruiting and retaining employees was explained by Kevin Baugh, acting district attorney, who said, “This is the biggest personnel crisis we’ve ever faced.” He said that lawyers are leaving for higher paying jobs. He hopes that people from this area who want to stay here will go to law school and return to practice law here.

Baugh said that visits to the University of Georgia used to result in 10-15 applicants. The last UGA visit resulted in three applicants, two of whom were offered positions but turned them down.

The Public Defender’s Office faces similar staffing difficulties.

Reporting on several departments under the Public Works umbrella, Billy Massengale said that the Road Department once had 15 employees but is now down to eight. He also noted landfill fee increases and the continuing recycling difficulties, saying, “The more we recycle, the more money we lose.”

Another issue is that buildings continue to age, and new buildings are being added to the county’s list of responsibilities. Stacy Stephens (maintenance supervisor) mentioned the ongoing updates to the Senior Center and the need to hire a new maintenance person who specializes in HVAC.

After describing some of the continual maintenance and cleaning needs, Stephens said, “We’re adding two more buildings, possibly three, in the near future. That’s the reason I really need another person.”

Ted Rumley (county executive) said he doesn’t imagine that building maintenance will ever decrease.

As always, the jail and DCSO make up the vast majority of the budget with the jail’s proposed budget of $1,918,600 and the DCSO’s proposed budget of $2,920,000.

Joe Chambers (jail captain) explained that food costs for inmates have risen significantly, causing an increase in the budget.

Tommy Bradford (chief deputy, DCSO) explained the department’s request for additional officers to work traffic incidents. In 2024 so far, the department has answered 286 wrecks. He said that state troopers are usually too far away to come to accidents in a timely manner. He said, “If you’re in a wreck, especially on a county road in a curve, it takes two officers just for traffic.”

Alex Case reported on Emergency Services, Emergency Management, E-911, and Management Information Systems (IT). A major expense is the contract with CHI Memorial for ambulance services at $422,000.

The proposed Emergency Services budget includes a full-time EMS chief position that would also provide redundancy for Emergency Management and E-911.

The budget will be voted on this Thursday, June 20, at 5 p.m. at the Dade County Administrative Building.