Bibb County Georgia

Commissioners Budget Hearings

FY 2012

The Bibb County Sheriff's Budget

The Bibb County Commissioners commenced their Budget Hearings Yesterday.  The first department to present their Budget Request was the Bibb County Sheriff.

The Commissioners reviewed the request and the Sheriff as well as Department Chief's made their presentations to the Commissioners.

Sheriff Modena summed up the request with these statements:

• We need a higher starting pay for our Deputies.  All the surrounding counties start their Deputies at a higher pay rate.  The range is from $2000.00 to over $8000.00 per year.  As it is Bibb County is a training department and the new deputies soon are able to join other neighboring departments.
• The elimination of frozen pay steps needs to be accomplished.  As I understand this it means upward mobility and increased pay for years of service.
• The Low Starting Pay also has an impact on the number of well qualified applicants who apply for duty with the Bibb County Sheriff's Department.
• The Bibb County Sheriff's Department is a Team Player.  Over the past ten years they have returned 9.9 million dollars in unused budget dollars.  The Department has been able to accomplish this by being good stewards of the Taxpayers Funds.

It was noted that the former funds from Federal and State governments will no longer be available for METH Lab Clean-ups.  The impact of this situation is totally unpredictable and may require future emergency fund request.

Additionally it was noted that the current fuel prices may also require future request for supplemental funds as FY 2012 proceeds.

Of course I am glad that I attended this Budget hearing.  Without Public Safety being the number one concern we the residents of Bibb County do not have a bright future.