Budget grows by 10 percent

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Coweta County's

proposed budget for 2001 is jumping by nearly 10 percent.

Finance director

Rick Smoot told the County Commission Tuesday morning that this year's

budget is $30.5 million, compared to $27.9 million in 2000.

In any budget

year, there are many more requests than can be funded and Smoot said this

year is no exception.

Sheriff Mike

Yeager requested an additional 19 officers, but Smoot and his staff recommended

hiring only four officers.

The sheriff

also requested a "drive home" plan of leasing 24 Crown Victorias

for three years. Funding for the plan over three years would be $785,00,

which the staff also rejected.

A notable increase,

though, occurred in the funding for the Senoia and Grantville libraries.

In years past, the county has given only $2,500 to each library, but this

year bumped the allocation up to $10,000.

Commission

Chairman Vernon "Mutt" Hunter said it is important to give the

libraries more funds so that people in the outlying areas of the county

will have better access to the books and computers in the libraries.

Staff also

approved a new ambulance, but said the $100,000 cost should be paid by

the Hospital Authority, which still has funds from its sale of the old

Coweta General Hospital years ago.

Smoot also

said that many of the big projects talked about at recent commission meetings

would need to be funded through the county's fund balance.

Projects such

as additional short-term court space, T-hangers at the airport and completing

the Pine Road Fairground complex are not funded in the 2001 budget.

Smoot also

recommended a 5 percent cost of living adjustment for all personnel and

recommended a public hearing on the budget Dec. 19 at 3 p.m. at the County

Administrative Complex.

The board is

expected to give final approval to the budget in January.