City Commission Holds First Reading of Proposed FY 2017 Budget

Toccoa City Commissioners take the first step in approving a budget for Fiscal Year 2017.

On Monday, the city commission unanimously approved the first reading of the proposed budget.

According to Toccoa City Manager Billy Morse, the proposed budget totals $35,496,758.

“No property tax millage rate increase is proposed,” said Morse. “No increases are proposed for utility rates or other user fees. We continue to grow our reserve accounts. The budget includes a proposed three percent salary increase for all departments.”

The proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2017 is $671,228 less than the Fiscal Year 2016 budget.

Under the proposed Fiscal Year 2017 budget, the major decrease is in the gas fund, where the city is projecting a drop of around $1.65 million due to an expected decrease in gas purchase for resale.

The city’s other operating funds, including the general fund, water and sewer fund, solid waste fund, and golf fund, are all expected to increase from between $180,000 to just over $300,000 in Fiscal Year 2017 compared to Fiscal Year 2016.

Toccoa City Commissioner Terry Carter said he appreciates the hard work of the department heads and the finance department in putting this proposed budget together.

“There have been years that we would take days to put a budget together, so it speaks volumes of the department heads and the finance department for us to be able to do it in one day and have the budget ahead of time so we can study it and move forward. Excellent job on that,” said Carter.

Carter also said he appreciates the efforts of the city in being able to fund the reserve accounts and provide a pay raise for employees while not raising property taxes or utility rates.

A public hearing on the proposed Fiscal Year 2017 budget was held following the first reading, but there were no public comments on the proposed budget.

Toccoa City Commissioners will hold a second reading and public hearing on the Fiscal Year 2017 budget at its May 23 meeting.

A vote on the budget is expected following the second reading on May 23.

The Fiscal Year 2017 budget takes effect on July 1.