By Staff Reports
The Patrick County Board of Supervisors heard an update on some modifications to the advertised fiscal year 2021-2022 proposed budget at its May 24 work session.
Based on data presented by Lori Jones, the county’s finance officer, the budget still balances with the modifications.
The new projected revenues and expenditures are $55,012,443 instead of the advertised $54,980,930.
The largest percentage of revenues — 57.2 percent – will be generated by general property taxes. The county experienced an increase in “other undesignated revenues” by $31,513 from the proposed $5,301,258. The total general fund increased by the same amount.
The three largest expenses are public safety (30.5 percent of total budget), schools (27.1 percent), and health and welfare (12.9 percent).
Expenses increased in three categories compared to the advertised budget: general government administration, public safety, and non-departmental.
The county will spend $1,761,730 on general government administration as opposed to the advertised amount of $1,730,656, which is an increase of $31,074. Public safety expenses only increased by $204 from the advertised budget. The non-departmental category had the largest increase in spending, with $109,794.
After a request from Jane Fulk, of Dan River, the board agreed to lower the advertised amount for local school funding by $109,559. This leaves $5 million for the schools in local money. The remainder is earmarked for the county’s contingency fund.
Jones said the required minimum-level funding of local contributions for schools is $4.8 million. The original advertised amount of $5,109,559 would have been considered level funding from last year’s budget, she added. The decrease to $5 million while less than the previous year, is still greater than the local match required by the state.
Fulk noted that the schools will receive an increase in funding from federal COVID-19 funds as well.
In addition to the $109,559 from the schools, Jones said the contingency fund will also grow by $262,377 this year.
A public hearing is scheduled on the budget at the board’s next meeting on June 2. A summary of the budget and full breakdown of the expenditures and revenues can be viewed at https://www.co.patrick.va.us/.
In other matters, the board:
*Agreed to sign a one-year lease agreement with Enterprise for seven cars provided to the Sheriff’s Department.
*Agreed to enter a contract with Jim Guynn Jr., and his Salem-based law firm Guynn, Waddell, Carroll & Lockaby to be the next county attorney. The board voted 4-1 with Clayton Kendrick, of Mayo River, voting against the motion.
