Whitley County Fiscal Court approves new budget

The Whitley County Fiscal Court is anticipating having a little more money to spend next fiscal year.

During the June 19 monthly meeting, the fiscal court approved the second reading of the 2018-2019 fiscal year budget ordinance. The 2018-2019 fiscal year starts on July 1, 2018.

The $15,133,814 budget for the 2018-2019 fiscal year is $60,461 higher than the initial budget the fiscal court approved for the 2017-2018 fiscal year 12 months ago.

The biggest revenue increases in the budget are in the areas of the occupational tax fund and ambulance fund.

The fiscal court has budgeted an increase of $232,500 in the occupational tax fund and $142,664 in the ambulance fund.

By contrast, the road fund saw the biggest revenue reduction, $292,977, in comparison to last year’s budget, and the general fund decreased $78,100.

The road fund comprises 14.72 percent of the total budget, and the general fund comprises 22.17 percent of the budget.

“I know the budget committee has worked hard putting this budget together. It’s a good balanced budget. It does look like we are finishing up the year on estimates that match up with this budget,” noted Whitley County Judge-Executive Pat White Jr.

In other business, the fiscal court:

• Approved the 2018-2019 budget for Whitley County Tourism.
• Accepted a petition to widen Sanders Creek Middle Middlefork Road.
• Approved a three-month contract between the fiscal court and Josh Crawford in regards to time clocks maintenance.
• Renewed an agreement between Southern Health Partners and the Whitley County Detention Center for the 2018-2019 fiscal year.
• Approved a petition to adopt Hickory Hill Drive into the county road system.
• Authorized the judge-executive and county attorney to review and sign an easement with Kentucky Utilities to support the Whitley County Fair and other events at the county’s 100-acre industrial site. The fair starts July 19.

“There is a very energetic, new group of board members, who are really working hard to put together a nice event for us this year. It looks like something that will continue to grow for years,” White noted.

“We hope to see the fair back to what it was years ago, a widely attended event. This is a step in the right direction.”