Budget Process Underway In Putnam County

Budget discussions have started in Putnam County for the new fiscal year.

8th District County Commissioner and Budget Committee Chairman Ben Rodgers said specific department requests aren’t known yet, but a cost of living raise for county employees is being discussed.

“There’s been some turnover. We’ve lost some people going to better paying jobs,” Danner said. “We have been trying to do something to promote working for Putnam County.”

Rodgers said the the increase would be the same amount as the employee step raise, depending on which department they work for. Rodgers said the raise would be $1,000 for emergency services or public safety employees and $600 for all of departments.

That proposal would cost an estimated $300,000 to fund.

Rodgers said he doesn’t expect a budget to be passed until the county has a better idea of what the penny value will be. He said revenues will not be clear until after the board of equalization meets in June.

“You may have appeals from people that may change the penny value, which would change the property tax revenue,” Rodgers said. “We wouldn’t pass a budget in June. I think that’s premature because we don’t know the value of the penny, which is the main source of our revenue.”

Rodgers said the hopes to have a budget passed sometime in July.

The budget committee will hold it’s next meeting Monday June 11th.