County approves budget for FY 22

Donley County Commissioners approved a $3.49 million budget for fiscal year 2022 during a called meeting on August 24.

Public hearings on the budget as well as the tax rate supporting it were held the same day prior to the approval.
The budget for the coming fiscal year is an increase of $394,999 over the 2021 budget, and Donley County Judge John Howard said the bulk of that increase of $250,000 for work on the 1890 Courthouse. County officials hope grant funds and insurance money will cover part of that figure.

“We can’t spend money that is not in the budget, so we have that figure in there in anticipation of getting additional funding,” Judge Howard said. “We like to pay as we go, and we do have some money set aside in the Courthouse Preservation Fund.”

The approved budget calls for transferring $125,000 out of the Courthouse Preservation Fund.

The courthouse was badly damaged when a waterline broke during a winter storm in February, and insurance is expected to cover a portion of that restoration work.

The county also hopes to get additional state funds through the Texas Historical Commission to address spalling on some of the sandstone on the exterior of the courthouse.

Howard said the new budget also includes a raise for county employees of 2.5 percent, totaling about $60,000 overall. Health insurance costs for the county are expected to increase by about seven percent as well.

“We’re trying to prepare for inflation and protect the gains we’ve made in county salaries,” Howard said.

On the revenue side, the county budget will be supported by an ad valorem tax rate of $0.612776 per $100 valuation, which is about 1.6 cents less than the current rate. Donley County will also receive $200,000 in the fifth of ten payments from the wind farm in the northern part of the county.

The budget carries over $285,000 in funds from the current year, and the remainder of revenues come from fines, fees, and service charges.

A grant to pay for a highway safety officer in the sheriff’s office has expired and no longer provides funds for that officer. The new budget covers the entire cost for that position, which the county says pays for itself.

Fiscal year 2022 will begin October 1, 2021, for Donley County.