Commissioners approve $8.8 million budget for 2013

Highland County commissioners voted, 3-0, at Wednesday’s board meeting to approve the county’s projected 2013 budget of $8,818,000.

Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley met with commissioners for any last-minute questions on the coming year’s budget.

“Department heads did very well managing their budgets this year,” Fawley told Commissioners Shane Wilkin, Tom Horst and Jeremy Shaffer.

“The (departmental) budgets looked good to me,” Horst said. “People were really tight on what they asked for.”

Prior to the motion and vote, Wilkin asked if everyone was OK with the $8.8 million number. Commissioners said they were comfortable with that amount, which is slightly under the 2012 budget of approximately $9 million.

Fawley said the county will begin 2013 with a carry-over balance of $445,000. Fawley added that he misspoke last week when he had estimated a carry-over of approximately $700,000.

“If everyone pays the same in salaries, we should be OK,” Fawley said. “We’ve gotten through this year just about where we thought everything should be.”

Commissioners budgeted capital improvements for elevator repairs in the county Administration Building and for the Highland County Veterans Service office.

• In other action, commissioners announced that county offices will be open until noon on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Offices will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

• Commissioners voted 2-0 (with Wilkin abstaining) not to request a hearing on liquor license applications for the New Market Food Mart or the 73 Drive Thru owned by Steve Lerch.

“People have voted (for the licenses),” Horst said. “It (the hearing request) is just a formality.”