Nelson Fiscal Court hears first reading on $20.4 million 2015-16 budget

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Tuesday, May 19, 2015, 9 p.m. — Nelson Fiscal Court approved first reading on its $20.4 million budget that will take effect July 1.

Judge Executive Dean Watts makes a point during Tuesday’s meeting of Nelson Fiscal Court.

After meeting with magistrates earlier this month, Watts brought back a revised budget that was unanimously approved by the court

On the revenue side, the budget tax revenues of $5.17 million, occupational tax revenue of $1.19 million, and combined landfill and solid waste revenues of $4.34 million and EMS service revenue of $1.953 million.

The budget includes $2.5 million on expenses for the county-owned EMS service and $1.02 million for law enforcement.

“There’s not much difference between this budget and last year’s budget,” Watts told the magistrates.

The magistrates also approved allowing the county treasure to automatically pay the county’s recurring bills.

TAX MORATORIUM REQUESTS. Two tax moratorium requests on the agenda were withdrawn from consideration after it was learned that work had already begun on both properties. According to Watts, state law requires the submission of the application at least 30 days prior to the start of construction. Construction on both properties was underway at the time of the application, making them ineligible to participate in the tax moratorium program.

The tax moratorium program applies to properties undergoing rehabilitation. It freezes the property tax value on a property at its pre-rehabilitation value for five years. The program encourages the repair, reuse and restoration of existing buildings 25 years old or older.

In other business, the court:

— approved correction of the plat for Maywood Avenue in the Maywood Farms subdivision. The platted location for the road differed from its actually location, and County Road Engineer Jim Lemieux requested the court approve a correction to the plat. The correction required the approval of affected property owners.

— approved the purchase of a 2016 Ford F-350 four-wheel drive pickup truck for $28,223.

— approved the purchase of 1,400 tons of road salt from Cargill Deicing for $106,722. The salt is more than enough to last the winter season, Jim Lemieux, county road engineer, told the court.

— approved a resolution to lease an ambulance station from the City of Bloomfield for $500 per month once the facility is completed to agreed specifications.

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