BOC cuts $1.162 million from proposed budget

The board of commissioners held a public hearing on the proposed budget Tuesday night but received no public input. Several county department heads attended, as well as one citizen who asked for specific details on the proposed budget.

The BOC is set to take action on the proposed budget when it meets at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the annex building in Homer.

The BOC has postponed action on the budget while cuts were made to account for the decrease in revenue due to the downturn in the economy.

“I appreciate all of the department heads and elected officials for helping us reduce this,” commissioner Rickey Cain said. “I know it will be tough on all of you. We hope the economy will pick up and some revenue will start coming in over the next few years.”

While the BOC will vote on the budget Tuesday, action is not expected to be taken on the millage rate. A date has not been set for approval of the millage rate, although the commissioners have said they want to keep it the same as it is now.

“We don’t want to have to raise the millage rate unless it’s absolutely necessary,” Cain said.