Commissioners got some good news on the budget as the Macon County Committee of the whole met this week.
“The budget committee met 13 times to resolve issues and make it to where taxes will not have to be raised this time,” said Macon County Mayor Steve Jones. “It started out looking like we were going to have to have a significant tax increase, but with the hard work by Michele and the sheriff and everyone else has helped so much. This is the first year that we have had to work with the new jail operations and construction costs. The sheriff has put the funds in from his commissary fund to take care of his end and that helped significantly. We have tentatively passed just about everything that has been requested. Taxes will be set at 1.6228 I think this will come as very good news to everyone.”
The fiscal year budget for 2025-26 was referred to the legislative body for approval.
District 7 commissioner Barry King spoke briefly about an item that was taken out of the new budget.
“For this new budget, we have taken out several places that we have been donating to over the years,” said King. “One of those was the Shriners. We had been trying to donate $500 each time, and I’d like to add that anyone that would like to donate toward that $500, just see me and I will make sure the $500 gets to the Shriners.”
Jones said, “We can do that, and I will ask them to come here and accept that.”
In other action, the topic of implementing a moratorium on growth was scheduled to be discussed again, but Macon County Attorney, Guy Holliman, who advises the committee on legal issues, was absent due to sickness so the issue is still pending.
Jones said the warning siren located in the Hillsdale community of Macon County was struck by lightning and needs to be replaced.
“There was no insurance on the siren at the time it was struck,” said Jones. “We thought we were insured, but we were not. We must do something to get it replaced.”
Jones said he’s had “questions and concerns from people about it not being operational.”
“It was one of 21 sirens that Macon County has,” he said. “Fourteen are within the county and seven are within the city of Lafayette. The one that was struck by lightning was the only one powered by electricity.”
Jones says that the cost of replacing the siren will be approximately $50,000.
During the public statement session, James Dickens stood to ask Macon County Road Supervisor Ben Cook about road conditions in his area, but Jones informed Dickens that he could not speak about the roads since it was not on the agenda. Dickens asked Cook if he would meet with him afterwards and Cook agreed.
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