No Budget Decisions, Meeting Monday

After more than two hours of discussion, angry audience reactions, and several challenges among committee members, the Overton County Budget Committee postponed all budget decisions Wednesday night until a meeting next week.

Members discussed the idea of changing a proposed $3 per hour across the board salary increase to a six percent increase. The hope, a reduction in the proposed property tax hike. The committee ultimately decided the Salary Committee needed to weigh-in first. County Executive Steven Barlow said the county has to look at the long-term problem of not paying employees.

“I’m just saying the six percent, it’s something, but it’s, it’s not, it’s not enough for our (people),” Barlow said. “That’s what, that’s just my recommendation. Of course, I don’t have a vote on it. I can just make a recommendation. I’m just trying to look out for everybody involved as well. I know we got to have it as low as we can. We don’t want to raise it up as much.”

Barlow said the lack of pay increases are impacting Overton County’s ability to keep good people. Barlow used the Ambulance Service as an example. He said staff have been working 36 hours in a row, with only 48 of 96 shifts covered. Barlow said 14 people left the service this year.

Because the committee would not come to agreement on salary increases, Barlow said the remaining budget topics could not be covered.

The Salary Committee and Budget Committee will meet next Monday, with the Salary Committee meeting at 5pm. Budgets are due by July 31, though the State Comptroller’s Office will allow continuation budgets into August.

Barlow said earlier this year Overton County has not raised property taxes since 2015. That despite the inflation rate climbing from less than one percent in 2015 to over eight percent in 2022.