The county commission approved a $15.39 million spending plan for 2025 that includes pay raises for county employees.
Commissioners unanimously approved the 2025 budget during their regular meeting last Tuesday night.
There was no public input on the budget during a public hearing held prior to the meeting.
The budget is about $669,097 higher than the the 2024 budget of $14.72 million.
County Manager Raphel Maddox said the budget will include welcome news for county employees. All employees will receive a three percent raise in January and an additional three percent raise in June or July. The raises will make up the bulk of the new spending costing about $390,000.
The new spending also includes money to build a new Otter Creek Fire Station and capital outlay purchases for new fire tankers and new road department equipment including a dump truck and excavator.
The budget also saw decreases in salaries for tax commissioner, clerk of court and magistrate judge, since all those offices will feature newly elected officers this year and the new officers will start at the base salary for their positions. There was also a decline in the board of elections department, since only municipal elections will be held in 2025.
