County’s proposed $18.5 million budget passes first reading

BY MELINDA J. OVERSTREET
GLASGOW NEWS 1
The Barren County Fiscal Court on Wednesday approved the first of two required readings of an ordinance establishing the county government budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1.
The special-called meeting at which the unanimous vote came – with all members present – followed a public hearing regarding the county’s planned uses for Local Government Economic Assistance and County Road Aid funds within the budget. The only people present besides the fiscal court members were other county employees and one media representative.
Judge-Executive Jamie Bewley Byrd said that in the case of the LGEA funding of $130,000, it is shown in the budget as income but the specific uses are actually undetermined at this time.
“We just put in, reserved for transfers,” she said.
The allowed uses include sheriff’s office assistance, coroner’s office assistance, economic development, protection of persons or properties, general health and sanitation, social services, recreation and culture, transportation facilities and services, roads, airports, bus services, other transportation and debt service.
County Road Aid is state funds — $2,546,914 – designated for just what the name implies – the upkeep of county-maintained roadways that in this case total just shy of 620 miles. Byrd said it can be used for salaries, equipment or supplies related to road work.
She said the Road Department has been doing great work, and the public is noticing, because she’s been getting positive feedback from residents.
Regarding the roughly $18.4 million budget (outlined below) as a whole, Byrd said there was a lot of time and thought put into the process as well as listening to department heads. She expressed gratitude to the county treasurer, the fiscal court budget committee and all the department directors for their hard work.
“I feel like the budget is a realistic budget for every person involved,” the judge-executive said.
After one quick clarification question from Magistrate Ronnie Stinson, Byrd said that once they approved it, it would go to the Department for Local Government for review.
The second reading of the proposed budget is scheduled to take place during the fiscal court’s regularly scheduled meeting for this month, at 9 a.m. May 23.
Also during the meeting:
— The appointment of Justin Richey as a deputy emergency management director; it is one of two volunteer positions with that title.
— The court approved work on the county’s emergency services radio infrastructure, with the estimated cost totaling $10,067.50.
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Barren County 2023-24 Fiscal Year Proposed Budget*
General Fund
— $10.3 million
Road Fund
— $4.2 million
Jail Fund
— $4 million
LGEA Fund
— $130,000
Recreation Department Fund
— $548,200
Drug Forfeiture Fund
— $14,000
Hiseville Cemetery Fund
–$16,650
Alcoholic Beverage Control Fund
— $140,000
Samson Street Jail Bonds Fund
— $496,490
*Figures are rounded, and some minor and/or temporary funds with no money budgeted at this time are omitted here.