by Leah Justice
Polk County Commissioners will begin Monday preparing the fiscal year budget for 2014-2015, which begins July 1.
The county will follow the same procedure as last year and make decisions for each department, instead of having the manager prepare a recommendation with a balanced budget draft.
The first workshop will begin at 3 p.m. on Monday, May 19 in the commissioners meeting room of the Womack building in Columbus. Commissioners will work through the budget on Monday until their regular meeting begins at 7 p.m.
On Tuesday, May 20, commissioners will hold a second workshop, also beginning at 3 p.m.
The requested budget for next year is $20,503,080, which is unbalanced by $1,315,982, according to interim county manager Marche Pittman. Pittman has recommended some cuts, bringing the unbalanced amount to $805,677.
“This is not the final manager’s budget and the number will change as the commissioners go through their worksessions with the manager,” Pittman said.
Pittman said the main increases to next year’s requested budget include $150,000 to the school system, some for new position requests, positions that are already approved in the current year and fully funded next year and an increase in health insurance.
Revenues for next year’s budget currently stand at $19,187,098.
The county received half of its usual hold harmless revenue from the state for the current year budget at $223,715 and does not anticipate receiving the revenue for next year’s budget.
The county’s current year revenues include $727,484 from its fund balance.
The requested budget for next year does not include appropriated fund balance, which could change depending on what commissioners decide next week.