Some issues unresolved as quorum court wrestles with 2010 budget

Carroll County News

CARROLL COUNTY -- The quorum court will meet at 10 a.m. Friday morning, in the Berryville courthouse.

The biggest item on the agenda will be the 2010 budget. County Judge Sam Barr said he hopes the budget will be passed at this meeting, although deliberations will continue this week. A meeting of the quorum court's budget committee is planned for 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 16.

The justices of the peace working on the budget have kept their pencils sharpened, looking to pare any unnecessary expenses from the budget. Revenues are expected to decline for 2010, forcing the county to restrict raises and other new expenditures.

At press time, a major issue concerning raises for jailers remained unresolved.

Other agenda

* One of the first items on the agenda is an appropriation ordinance to transfer $10,000 to the sheriff's office for overtime, along with an additional $3,000 under Line Item 78, Miscellaneous Law Enforcement.

* The ordinance which created the Oak Ridge Park Subordinate Service District will be amended to remove a parcel of land which would have been included in the district under a special rate. When the special rate was removed, the property owner decided to withdraw from the district.

* Barr said he does not expect to nominate board members for the ORPSSD at this meeting. A meeting had been held Dec. 5 to generate nominees, but some residents within the district have claimed that not everyone received notification. Barr said he expects to have a list of nominees by Dec. 30.

* Carroll Allison and George Phillips will be proposed to replace Don McClung and Jerl Swofford on the Carroll County Equalization Board.

* Additional funds will be requested to repair a heating and cooling unit in the lower level of the Berryville courthouse.

* An ordinance will be considered to add $30,000 to the budget of the circuit judge, after money unspent in 2008 was spent in 2009 on office improvements.