Burnet County aims for slimmer budget line

• 

  The Burnet County commissioners acknowledge Marble Falls High School senior Henry Vanicek as he holds the Pedernales Electric Cooperative Certificate of Appreciation for his participation in the 2024 Youth Tour Delegates Program. From left, Pct. 1 Commissioner Jim Luther Jr., Pct. 2 Damon Beierle; County Judge James Oakley, Vanicek, Pct. 3 Commissioner Billy Wall, PEC Community Outreach Specialist Mikayla Herron and Pct. 4 Commissioner Joe Don Dockery. Raymond V. Whelan/Bulletin

  The Burnet County commissioners acknowledge Marble Falls High School senior Henry Vanicek as he holds the Pedernales Electric Cooperative Certificate of Appreciation for his participation in the 2024 Youth Tour Delegates Program. From left, Pct. 1 Commissioner Jim Luther Jr., Pct. 2 Damon Beierle; County Judge James Oakley, Vanicek, Pct. 3 Commissioner Billy Wall, PEC Community Outreach Specialist Mikayla Herron and Pct. 4 Commissioner Joe Don Dockery. Raymond V. Whelan/Bulletin

The Burnet County Commissioners Court estimates no more than $2.8 million of new revenue could appear available for county department budgets during the upcoming fiscal year.

Deliberations are still ongoing related to whichdepartment- will-get-howmuch during Fiscal Year 2024-2025, set to begin Oct. 1.

“We are in the middle of the process; there is some prioritizing to do,” County Judge James Oakley said during the July 9 meeting.

Initial FY 2025 department budget requests total about $14 million, Oakley added.

For instance, the Elections Administration Office has requested $800,000 for new voting equipment.

“The (new) budget cannot swallow that one,” Oakley said.

Also, the sheriff has requested “modifications” for the county jail that could cost about $600,000, the judge added.

“There is no way to absorb that into one budget,” Oakley said.

Other new budget costs may include a cost-of-living-adjustment of 4% for county employees and more court bailiffs, Oakley predicted.

“Obviously, not everybody will get what they want,” the judge said.

Furthermore, during the current “unique” FY 2024, Oakley forecasted “average property appraisals didn’t go up.”

As such, the county may rely on four-to-fiveyear tax “anticipation notes” to cover some budget expenses through FY 2025, Oakley said.

The commissioners plan to offer more budget information during regular meetings planned July 23 and Aug. 6 before they release a draft of the FY 2025 budget by Aug. 15.

Other upcoming key budget dates include July 25, when Burnet County Chief Tax Appraiser Stan Hemphill certifies the official appraisal roll; Aug. 13, when Hemphill and the County Auditor plan to present tax rate calculations to the commissioners; and Aug. 27, when the commissioners plan to hold a public hearing before adoption of the Fiscal Year 2025 proposed budget and tax rates.

During her report, County Treasurer Karrie Crownover indicated records through May 2024 show the county holds a cash and investments balance of more than $67.1 million, (including interest earnings of more than $301,000) an increase of more than 21% compared to the balance of $55.2 million recorded by the end of May 2023.

Moreover, all county pool investments earn interest at rates near the U.S. Treasury Bill benchmark six-month rate of 5.46%.

Also, Oakley pointed out, out of eight counties monitored regularly by the Texas Municipal Advisory, the Burnet County ratio of debt-tototal property market value is calculated as a low 0.177%, trailing only Llano and San Saba counties.

“We are in very good shape financially,” Oakley said.

Turning to another matter, Burnet County Emergency Management Coordinator Derek Marchio reported the county faredwelllastweekduring weather condit ions caused by Category 1 Storm Beryl, which pounded Houston and spawned 11 tornadoes near several parts of the Texas Gulf Coast.

“ W e dodged a bullet last weekend,” Marchio told the commissioners.

“We missed Beryl by 100 miles. Now, we are probably looking at an average (weather) year, but another tropical storm could end all that. It is important to be prepared, even though we are inland.”

In other business, Oakley commended Pct.4 Commissioner Joe Don Dockery for his recent work with Texas Department of Transportation officials related to the expected installation of two new deceleration lanes near the busy traffic intersection at Texas 71 and CR 401.

County Tax Notes of $100,000 will be “dedicated” to complete the lanes, hoping they will augment new center-turn lanes installed by TxDOT and enhance general public safety in the area.

“It will be a full signal intersection,” Dockery predicted. “It (the tax notes) are long-term improvements with shortterm money.”

The formal bid process for contracts or “letting” for the work is expected to begin November this year, he added.

Also during the meeting, the commissioners:

• Applauded Henry Vanicek, a Marble Falls High School senior, for his recent visit to Washington as one of several students sponsored by the Pedernales Electric Cooperative for the 2024 Youth Tour Delegates Program.

• Accepted a donation of $40,000 from the Friends of the Burnet Library;

• Accepted the Heart of Texas Auto Theft Task Force salary increase for its crime analyst administrative assistant;

• Approved the replat of Windermere Oaks, Yorkshire Section, Lot 185-B, to be known as Lots 184- B and 185-C; and

• Approved the replat of Windermere Oaks Lots 364 and 365 to be known as Lot 364-A.