Changes included in budget

The Alleghany County Board of Commissioners agreed Monday night to include changes discussed last week in the budget document that was slated to be voted upon Tuesday night.

The commissioners can make changes to the budget up until the time it is finalized and then can amend it as necessary during the budget year. Information from that meeting will appear in next week's edition.

The commissioners agreed to restore some funding to special appropriations groups last week and agreed to cut most special appropriations budgets by 10 percent, rather than the 35 percent proposed by County Manager Don Adams in his first budget draft proposal.

Other changes included adding back in holiday and longevity pay, increasing EMS fees and adding back three positions, including one at the tax office, one at the sheriff's office and a third at social services. Monday night, Adams noted that $62,000 in revenue is expected to be raised via the new EMS fees.

Discussions on possibly cutting a position at the board of elections and moving the dispatch center were not topics at Monday's meeting.

Another topic was education, which the commission had decided to discuss further when more information concerning the state's budget was available. Monday night, it was an expectation among the commissioners was that once the state budget was completed, education would receive more than earlier anticipated. Adams explained, when asked by commissioners Doug Murphy and Randy Miller, the latest state budget proposals show classroom size cuts for grades kindergarten through third may no longer be included, while upper grades are anticipated still see larger class sizes. Small schools funding may increase-up $50,000 from the earlier proposed cuts from the state. Adams said he had received his information from Superintendent Jeff Cox.

"I think there's going to be an emphasis on education," Chair Ken Richardson told the board.

The local school board recently announced in light of the proposed budget from the commission, as well as mandated cuts from the state, 28 positions would have to be cut. The commissioners had agreed earlier to try to lessen that blow.

The county has thus far agreed to bring the schools' budget back to the 2008-2009 level. The schools' capital budget will be $506,059 in 2009-2010, down from $558,676 in 2008-2009.

The reason for that drop is the anticipated lower revenues to the county and schools from sales taxes due to the slower economy.

In other action, the board agreed to appoint Duane Davis to the Wilkes Community College Board of Trustees. Davis replaces Jack Martin, who opted not to serve another term on that board.