Fannin operating at 4 percent under budget

BLUE RIDGE, Ga – Fannin County was operating four percent under budget according to the October 2020 fiscal report.

The departments in October were 83 percent into their 2020 operating budgets. Many expenditures are running under budget. The public works general fun specifically is 15 percent under because the county chose to cut back on projects when COVID-19 hit.

As expected, the largest overage was risk management because it contains health claims. It’s currently, $716,884 over the $1,550,000 budgeted amount. Several large claims and the switch to fully insured in July are the reasons behind the excesses.

“It’s an increase in health claims from September of about $240,00, so this number for the year is running quite a bit over,” Chairman Stan Helton stated.

General Liability is also over $39,903 due to the annual payment. It won’t increase any more for the year.

COVID-19 expenses resulted building maintenance being over budget by $83,143.

The fire department exceeded its allotted amount by $24,202 and EMS by $198,132. The Fire department made payments on fire trucks earlier in the year, and the number should even out as the year progresses. EMS paid out overtime salaries and purchased additional safety equipment.

“$50,000 is due to overtime salaries and the big part of that about $150,000 additional safety equipment that we bought to protect the first responders,” Helton explained.

The sheriff’s office was over by $46,952 due to wages and the jail exceeded its budget by $24,398. These numbers continue to drop throughout the year. Inmate medical in September resulted in the jail expenditure increases.

LOST and SPLOST continue to exceed previous years. LOST collections are at $4.9 million, and SPLOST has collected $6 million. Last year at this time, SPLOST collections were $4.5 million. A state tax collection error also benefited Fannin to the tune of $700,000.