The Marion County Board has approved a $13.5 million-dollar tentative budget that includes money to purchase and operate a new animal control facility and to hire a part-time county administrator. The board rejected taking a million dollars from the Public Safety Tax Fund to pay for the initial part of a county-wide digital emergency services radio system.
Board Chair Steve Whritenour updated the animal control situation after the meeting.
“We are getting close to purchasing a facility,” Whritenour said. “The deal is not final yet, so I can’t announce the location. The dollar amounts that are going to be spent for that are finalized. We’re still just working out some of the last-minute details. We hope that within the next couple of weeks the deal will be finalized, and we’ll be able to purchase an animal control facility inside of Marion County.”
Whritenour says no 2026 general fund money will be involved in the purchase. $100,000 of the amount set aside this fiscal year to buy a facility with the remainder paid for through the county’s coal subsidy settlement fund. $211,000 is set aside for personnel to operate the facility and provide animal control.
While completing the budget, Whritenour said he learned their budget consultant Bellweather provides county administrative services on a part time basis. He says the county board needs the help.
“This is not a full-time position. Most of us work. For us to have the sheriff working on window bids and the supervisor of assessments working on window coverings, I want those guys doing the job that the people of this county elected them to do. Now, if it’s our wishes as a county board that we want to do windows, okay Mr. or Mrs. county administrator, I want you to go out and get bids on windows, and then present that to us as a county board.”
$48,000 was placed in the budget for the part-time administrator. The board had earlier agreed to put $100,000 in the budget when they were looking to hire someone full-time.
Sheriff Kevin Cripps addressed the board as sheriff and citizen, noting his radio system was working fine and a new system was not needed. Whritenour, who brought up the need, says he will continue to look into the new digital radio system.
Three board members voted against the tentative budget because it would require a 2.9-percent property tax levy to cover a $300,000 deficit. Dr. Michael Douglas, Josh Dunahee, and Cody Rose want to transfer an additional $300,000 in sheriff’s department salaries to the public safety fund to balance the budget and allow a zero percent tax levy increase. They will try and amend the budget at the board’s regular November 25th meeting.
Former Board Chair Debbie Smith warned against the zero-increase budget, noting it will not only limit the amount of the levy increase next year and future years, it could cost some state dollars that won’t be committed to the county because they are not taking advantage of local funding.
The levy will also be set at the November 25th meeting. A special meeting will be held November 28th to give final approval to the budget.
