SCBOC adopts FY2025 Budget

During the Stephens County Board of Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, June 25, Board members voted to adopt the county’s FY2025 budget, with a slight decrease from the budget discussed in the first public hearing. 

One person spoke at the public hearing, with James Addison speaking regarding the County’s decision to reduce funding to Keep Toccoa/Stephens County Beautiful.

The Board vote was unanimous, with commission chair Tara Simmons absent. However, prior to the vote, Board member Debbie Whitlock spoke, expressing hesitation about adopting the budget, saying that, although the overall budget for the county is decreasing from the current year’s budget, the operating fund budget is increasing by $1 million dollars, and she said that fact made her hesitant, even though she said she, and the rest of the board members, had voted in favor of the addition of an ambulance and an additional shift of first responders that resulted in that $1 million increase. 

Having expressed the concerns, while confirming the need of the new ambulance and personnel shift, Whitlock voted to approve the budget, making it a unanimous vote.

Hamilton spoke with WNEG News following the adoption.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, Commission Board member Chris Rickman spoke about the status of a proposed parking addition to the Historic Courthouse Property.

In an additional note, regarding the WNEG News story aired yesterday by WNEG News regarding the county entering into an agreement with Avita Avita Community Partners to operate out of the old Stephens County Hospital at 64 Boulevard, Hamilton confirmed that the MOU, once signed, will go into effect July and outlines a planned schedule of capital improvements being made for the following six months, with the facility opening for operation on Jan. 1, 2025. 

The next meeting of the Stephens County Board of Commissioners will be Tuesday, July 9 at 6 p.m.