Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Lowndes County Commission voted to delay voting on a proposed budget for fiscal year 2024-25 during its Sept. 23 meeting.

After a work session held Tuesday, Sept. 17, commissioners considered the option Monday to approve the budget which reflects projected revenue and expenses from last year. Without discussion, the commission tabled the vote to Monday, Sept. 30.

The proposed budget includes $16,760,816 in revenue and expenditures totaling $16,343,957. If approved, the numbers reflect excess revenue of $416,859 for the county.

“That’s the revenue proposed coming in and expenditures going out,” said County Administrator Jacquelyn Thomas. “That’s if everything comes in that I have budgeted for and the expenditures, minus the 5% [reduction] that Commissioner Harris made the motion on that I would have to take out.”

After a motion by Commissioner Robert Harris which was seconded by Commissioner Joshua Simmons, commissioners voted unanimously to table the vote to Monday. At that time, Harris requested Thomas provide a projection of the budget figures after deducting 5%.

Commissioners discussed a request to renew a franchise agreement with Hayneville Telephone Company. County Attorney Prince Chestnut explained that the agreement, pertaining only to around 100 video customers, would yield payment of franchise fees amounting to 3% of gross revenue on services for those customers.

Harris requested that Chestnut review a franchise agreement with the provider which would cover customers receiving telephone, digital or other services.

“All of the franchise agreements need to be revisited because they are not comparable with the rest of our other providers,” Harris said. “We need to make sure that we are in line with that before we [approve] that because we might be giving away some money by not allowing them to give their fair share.”

In other business, the commission:

* Approved Commissioner Joshua Simmons’ appropriation of $1,000 to The Calhoun School band and $1,200 for a cancer program;

* Approved Commissioner Charlie King, Jr.’s appropriation of $2,500 to the Lowndes County Public Schools STEM program;

* Heard an update from Lowndes County Unincorporated Wastewater Program President Carmelita Arnold which described that the program has 105 customers on a waiting list with 46 identified as having the greatest need;

* Learned of an Alabama Department of Transportation program for recycling tires;

* Approved a Rebuild Alabama project proposal to repair Braxton Road, McQueen Road, Calhoun Road, Milton Cutoff and several streets in Hayneville;

* Renewed the tax collector’s software maintenance contracts with S&W MiniComputers Inc. totaling $37,594.94; and

* Voted to move the Oct. 14 meeting to Oct. 15 due to the Columbus Day holiday.

The commission will meet at 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 30 to continue budget discussions. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 15 at 10 a.m.