With a unanimous vote Monday, the Dallas County Commission approved a balanced $22.5 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year that includes a pay raise for county employees and retirees.

Full-time and part-time employees will receive a 4 percent pay raise, which Dallas County Probate Judge Kim Ballard said equals to a little more than $200,000 and surpasses the cost of living index for this particular year. Retires also received additional pay.

Raises will be effective at the beginning of the fiscal year, which is Oct. 1, 2014.

“They deserve it,” Ballard said. ”The vast majority of our employees are loyal, hard-working folks. You’re always going to have some that don’t meet your standards, but not many. As far as the 200, I can’t think of anybody we could easily do without.”

Ballard went on to applaud the years of dedication retirees showcased during their time with the county.

“Retirees are very important people,” he said. “For the most part, they were dedicated long-term employees. They certainly deserved a raise.”

Ballard said he would like to authorize a pay raise yearly, but it depends on the county’s financial situation at the time.

“It’s based on the ability to pay it,” Ballard said. “We can’t just say we’re going to give you the pay raise without the income to do it with.”

The 2015 budget reflects revenue totaling approximately $20 million and expenditures totaling approximately $22 million, with an estimated fund balance of approximately $6 million.

The commission approved a three year road improvement project that called for the resurfacing of a number of Dallas County roads. The Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program funded $8.5 million for the project’s expenses and the commission had to fund a 20 percent match.

“Last year, we had all of that ATRIP grant money to do all those miles and miles of roads,” Ballard said. “That had to be figured in as revenue last year. Our normal budget runs about $18 million, but this year we got it to a little over a $20 million budget.”

Ballard said the commission plans to pay the 20 percent matching funds, or more than $1.7 million, with general funds.

“We are bidding two more projects next week on ATRIP, so that $1,700,000 shows up as an expenditure,” he said.

Ballard said conservative spending has shaped a successfully balanced budget.

“I think the biggest thing that contributed to our overall financial health is that we’re extremely conservative,” Ballard said. “We don’t spend it unless we have it.”