Developing the 2010/2011 County Budget

 
Bradley County’s budget process for the 2010-2011 fiscal year is now under way. The County Commission adopted the Budget Preparation Calendar on March 1st, setting the stage for several weeks of intense preparation.
 
The process begins with an estimate of county revenues for the next fiscal year. This allows me and the Commission to develop a budget balanced within our resources. This includes a review of current County finances, local and regional economic conditions, and a re-examination of key local economic indicators. This includes such specifics as building permits, property tax assessments, business license records, retail sales etc. The Goal is to get as much relevant financial information as possible to allow us to set the
limits of budget possibilities. From there we create a funding allocation for each county department.
 
Bradley County’s fiscal year runs from July 1st to June 30th. The first step in the process begins by meeting with elected officials and department heads to distribute budget worksheets and answer questions. Budget requests are to be returned to my office by April 7, 2010. The first budget work session will be held in the Commission Room on Wednesday March 10th. My office will then forward the departments budget request documents to the County Commission for review by April 12th.  County Finance Director Lynn Burns and I then begin the process of preparing revenue projections for the 2010-2011 fiscal year.
 
Once the Finance Committee has reviewed the budget requests, a series of budget hearings will be scheduled between the Finance Committee and the County’s department heads. The hearings are scheduled from May 5th through May 13th. The Full Commission and general public are welcome to attend.
 
Once this process is complete, I will present a 2010-2011 budget proposal to the full Commission on June 7th.  It will be reviewed by the Finance Committee and any changes will be included in the preliminary proposal along with end of year amendments.
 
On June 21st the full Commission will vote to approve the budget amendments and review the preliminary budget, as well as listen to any appeals from department heads.
 
The completed proposed budget will then be published in the Cleveland Daily Banner on June 29th and the Commission will vote to adopt the budget on July 6th. Unfortunately, all department requests cannot be met and tough decisions have to be made due to revenue restraints. 
 
It is a long process and requires input and cooperation from many people. A good working relationship between the County Mayor and the County Commission is an important element of a successful budget process. Maintaining open lines of communication and strong working relationships are very important to the process.