County Financial Officer Jared Blanton explains next year’s budget as County Commissioner Mike Joyner and Commission Chairman Matt Brooks listen on the right.

By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

            Levy County Financial Officer Jared Blanton gave County Commissioners a piece of bad news on June 16 when he disclosed that Emergency Medical Services is projected to have a $776,864 shortfall next year.

            Blanton gave commissioners an overview of what their finances would be like in next year’s budget. Commissioners made no decision on how to overcome the projected EMS budget deficit.

            Commissioners are in the early stages of preparing their 2020-21-budget. They won’t have a lot of time to make the necessary adjustments. The new budget year starts on Oct. 1. They must adopt a property tax millage by Aug. 4.

            The current property tax rate is 9 mills.

            The EMS budget is funded with a special assessment on property. Commissioners have known for two years that EMS was beginning to dip into its reserve cash.

            At the same meeting where the EMS budget deficit was announced, the board voted to give Sheriff Bobby McCallum a $675,000 increase in his budget. His budget for next year stands at $14.9 million with the increase.

            The sheriff’s original request was for an $846,000 increase and approval of a $15.1 million budget. The total increase in property taxes for the board next year is expected to be $850,000, according to Blanton.

            The sheriff is attempting to raise the starting pay of his deputies to be more competitive with neighboring counties. He said low pay affects the quality of services when experienced deputies leave for higher paying jobs elsewhere.

             Starting pay for a Levy County deputy before this increase in the sheriff’s budget was $34,000, slightly below Williston at $34,995. Starting pay for a deputy in Citrus County is $38,061, Marion County $42,011, and Gilchrist County $34,000.

            McCallum’s original budget request for next year was 51 percent of the total general fund, which pays for most county operations.

            The sheriff operates a number of departments with his budget including the county jail, 911 dispatch, school resource officers, civil deputies, and sworn law enforcement.

            McCallum noted that his department generates about $243,000 in fees annually that goes to the county commission. He never fully spends his allotted budget, even though he could. McCallum takes a conservative approach to managing his budget and always has money left at the end of the year. He never has to come back to the board for more money.

            In his current budget, he anticipates having $263,000 in carryover money at the end of this budget. Commissioners said he could keep the carryover money and spend it as he deems appropriate. The board technically can’t tell the sheriff how to spend his money. They give him a lump sum and he determines how the funds are to be spent.

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Levy County Commission Budget Workshop Meeting June 16, 2020; Posted June 21, 2020