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There are several months left before the commissioners settle on a budget and there will be multiple public opportunities for residents to voice their own concerns.
As the 2021-22 fiscal year winds down, the Macon County Board of Commissioners sat down to talk budget priorities in their continued session Thursday, Feb. 3.
In years past, the county has provided a recommended budget by the time the commissioners meet in May so that there is plenty of time to make edits if necessary before the fiscal year resets in July. That gives the commissioners time to evaluate capital needs and decide what projects are most in need of funding. Thankfully, the county is in very good financial shape and should have plenty of credit to work with.
“AAA is the highest credit rating any local government can achieve,” said Mitch Brigulio of the financial advisor Davenport. “[Macon County] is right in the middle of what we call the AA cat-egory, very good ratings.”
At their meeting, commissioners heard from representatives of some of the most important capital projects in the county. Paul Boney of LS3P gave an update on the plans for a new Franklin High School Building, tax administrator Abby Braswell went over the county’s 2023 revaluation schedule and superintendent Chris Baldwin spoke about the current state of Macon County Schools’ budgeting process. One of the biggest topics was broadband expansion – Tommy Jenkins of the Macon County Economic Development Commission explained that funding has become more available and strong foundations for the county’s digital future have been laid with the South Macon backbone but going from that point to full connectivity is a project requiring years more of work.
“I’m sure you’ve gotten calls about let’s do it today, but it’s not that simple,” Jenkins said. “This is a moving target and it’s going to take time.”
The commissioners have a few goals of their own that they’d like to see prioritized in the next fiscal year. Chairman Jim Tate discussed the need for more Pre-K options in Highlands, while commissioner Gary Shields suggested more investment in mental healthcare as a public safety measure. Commissioner Josh Young pointed out the critical need for greater athletic resources for students at Macon Middle School and Franklin High School, specifically those in track and field.
“The high school team is still practicing at the fairgrounds,” Young said. “I’d love to see some progress there.”
As COVID-19 continues to contribute to employer struggles in the labor market, human capital remains the county’s top priority. The county already invested big in personnel last year with its revised pay schedule and a slew of bonuses, and the benefits are beginning to play out. Sheriff Robert Holland says that not only is his department seeing more applicants than they have in years, but some employees who left during the pandemic are finding their way back.
“For the first time in I guess three years, our patrol is fully staffed,” Holland said. “We still have some openings in the jail – it’s a thankless position – but overall, it’s been an absolute plus for all of us.”
Budget process
There are several months left before the commissioners settle on a budget and there will be multiple public opportunities for residents to voice their own concerns. County manager Derek Roland says that the county has many economic advantages at its disposal that should fuel a productive 2022, including the fourth lowest property tax rate in North Carolina. Whatever the commissioners and the people of Macon County decide is most important, they will have multiple avenues to make it happen.
“It’s very important to keep in mind that this is a starting point,” Roland said. “This gives us something to work from.”
The Macon County Board of Commissioners met again on Tuesday, Feb. 8 for their regular monthly meeting.
- By Jake Browning/The Franklin Press