The Dallas County Commission unanimously approved their budget for the 2020 fiscal year, which will begin Oct. 1, 2019 and will end Sept. 30, 2020, at Monday evening’s meeting.
The $21.5 million budget is comprised of $12.4 million in its general fund, $4.9 million for engineering and roads and $4.2 million remaining for other funds.
Dallas County Administrator Barbra Harrell broke down some of the specifics in the budget before the commission at Monday evening’s meeting.
“Our projected total revenue [for fiscal year 2020] is $20,122,907.00. Our projected total expenditures are $21,519,815.00. The projected beginning fund balance is $5,550,758.35. The projected ending fund balance is $4,153,850.35,” said Harrell.
Harrell added that, included in the budget, is a one-time lump-sum increase for all county employees totaling $114,186.00.
According to Harrell, all full-time Dallas County employees will receive a $600 salary increase and all part-time employees will receive a $200 salary increase.
Some specific items included in the 2020 budget are a van for Camp Perry Varner Juvenile Detention Center, a truck for the mosquito control department, courthouse security, next year’s election expenses, two new sirens for Dallas County Emergency Management Agency and security cameras at the Orrville transfer station.
Following Harrell’s summary, all four commissioners and the chairman felt the need to commend Harrell on a job well done and to comment on this year’s budget.
“In the end, we all came out in agreement,” said Dallas County Commissioner Roy Moore. “Which is always good. We had some differences, but we worked things out. I think our county is in as good of a condition as it’s ever been.”
Moore then turned his attention to Harrell.
“Most of all I want to think Barbra Harrell,” he said. “I don’t know how many hours she’s put into putting this budget together… Thank you for putting up with us and putting all this together in a fashion that we all can agree with. You’ve done a tremendous job and you certainly deserve to be commended for your hard work.”
“Any time you do a budget where your revenue that’s coming in is more than you’re spending, it’s good,” said Probate Judge Jimmy Nunn. “I think that’s where we are, in a good condition. We’re in good shape.”
Nunn also commended Harrell on a job well done in serving the Dallas County Commission and also the citizens of Dallas County.
Nunn thanked the commission for their willingness to work together in order to agree on a budget.
“We were able to come together,” said Nunn. “Not everything was agreed upon, not every commissioner got what they wanted, every department didn’t get what they requested but we came together and we compromised and agreed that this would be the balanced budget.”
Nunn added that there are some “good things” in the 2020 budget.
“The lump-sum increase for the employees,” said Nunn, “That’s good in times like these when people are literally cutting and laying off employees. And here we are maintaining, and not only maintaining but able to give the employees a raise of $600.”
Nunn then mentioned that sales tax is up and the county is “doing good”.
“That means a lot because our budget depends upon sales tax,” said Nunn. “Whenever sales tax is up it means that we are doing good. The state of the county is good.”
Dallas County Commissioner Larry Nickels echoed Moore and Nunn’s comments with a simple “amen”.
Dallas County Commissioner Curtis Williams also commended Harrell.
“It’s a difficult job,” he said. “It’s not an easy job. But she knows how to work with the department heads and get the job done… We appreciate you so much. We have a great administrator and she keeps this county going.”