The upcoming Hamilton County government budget includes four percent salary increases for county employees, who went without a raise last year as the coronavirus hit.
The budget keeps the 48 employees that were added at the Health Department to deal with the deadly virus, as well as four others for a total of 52. County Mayor Jim Coppinger said some of the COVID positions will be eliminated "as the coronavirus winds down - if it ever does."
The Sheriff Department budget includes 101 new employees - many of whom would be stationed at the Silverdale Detention facility. The Sheriff's Office took over Silverdale after a private firm pulled out at the end of the year. Other employee requests include two more School Resource Officers and four more for the new FUSE program to try to defer those with mental issues from the jail and provide them with help.
Core Civic had 185 employees at Silverdale, but the Sheriff's Office is planning for 221 employees for increased security.
Officials said the total Sheriff's budget is actually $211,000 down from last year factoring in what was previously paid to Core Civic.
The current county budget is at $796.6 million. Total budget requests stand at $846.6 million for the upcoming budget.
Property tax revenues are expected to be up at least two percent.
Collections from the sales tax and excess fees are set to rise from $4.9 million to $7.4 million. Officials said the new Internet tax brought in $2.5 million for the county in the first year.
The county is getting $1.9 million out of a total $100 million coming from the state in a special fund.
County Mayor Coppinger said the county is receiving $71.5 million in federal COVID stimulus money. He said currently there are many restrictions on its use, but some of those are expected to be eased.
He said no specific plans have yet been made for spending the $71.5 million.
County Mayor Coppinger is to present his final budget to the County Commission on May 26. The commission is slated to vote on the budget on June 16.
Here is the budget presentation:
https://www.hamiltontn.gov/PDF/Budget%20Workshop%202%20FY%202022.pdf