Comal County Commissioners spent more than two hours receiving more than $ 116.9 million in 2022 budget requests and department heads priority lists on Thursday.
Most have requested additional computers and new vehicles, both in decline due to the global computer chip shortage attributed to COVID-19. Others, by county justices of the peace and police officers, called for more staff to handle more tasks resulting in an explosively growing county.
“I thought it went very well,” County Judge Sherman Krause said. “Everyone had the opportunity to give their opinion and explain the requests, especially those regarding new staff, reclassifications (of existing positions in the county), new equipment and new vehicles.
“It was a good opportunity for the public to see what is being asked for in the budget process.”
The county budget addresses two main areas – a general fund for county administrative operations and a road and bridge fund to maintain county-owned infrastructure – with smaller funds earmarked for juries, destitute health, service debt and flood control.
The 2021 budget, totaling $ 107,997,504, went into effect on January 1 and is funded by the combined 2020 tax rate of 35.8515 cents per $ 100 of property assessment.
Out of $ 116,987,039 in total in 2022, county justice operations – public safety, corrections, and courts – account for 48% proposed for all funds and 67% of all general fund requests, which this year total 81,279 millions of dollars.
“I think most people would name those three priorities,” Krause said.
The county is considering 32 new full-time positions, estimated at $ 2.371 million, and county-wide capital purchases – new and replacement equipment and vehicles – totaling $ 9.908 million.
Included are 32 public security vehicles totaling $ 1.758 million; $ 1.611 million for an electric scanner to convert electronic ballots to paper ballots, and proposed information technology upgrades total $ 911,508.
Of the $ 16.453 million proposed for roads and bridges, capital assets include eight vehicles totaling $ 312,000 and 11 pieces of heavy road equipment totaling $ 1.775 million.
Historically, Comal County’s budget requests were not far from what commissioners ultimately approved.
Last year, $ 112 million in requests was ahead of an approved 2020 budget of $ 110.9 million. In 2018, $ 104.8 million in requests preceded the budget adopted by the county in 2019 of $ 108.8 million, which is 15.4 million more than an approved 2018 budget of $ 93.4 million.
Commissioners will review the information before receiving revenue projections from the preliminary certified tax rolls, due by July 25, before Krause presents his recommended county budget for 2022 on Thursday, July 29.
“The commissioners will review all applications received and I will work with the county auditor to present the recommended budget,” Krause said.
Public hearings on the draft budget, the 2021 tax rate and the salaries of public officials before the votes finalizing the budget (set for Thursday 19 August) and / or the tax rate (by Thursday 24 August) .
Regular session
Also on Thursday, the commissioners approved:
• A modified platform combining lots in the Rolling Hills Estates subdivision.
• A memorandum of understanding with the Comal Trails Alliance, which will maintain the new trails at the James C. Curry Nature Center.
• The treasurer’s monthly report for May 2021.
• Two revised job descriptions for tax office positions.
• An overview of the county’s future role in reinvestment zones established by county municipalities.
• A memorandum of understanding on drug service tracking with the Texas Department of State Health Services.
• Complementary health care programs for county employees.
• Acceptance of the auditor’s assessments of the 2020 annual financial reports filed by the county’s seven emergency service districts.
• Funding from Justice Court Technology for the purchase of a new computer for the Justice of the Peace in Ward 3; the purchase of a portable air compressor for road and bridge service.
For videos, visit www.co.comal.tx.us/agenda.htm.
