1000 x 90

Watauga Commissioners Adopt Budget; GOP Members Deny Democrats’ Nonprofit Allocations Not Proposed

By Jesse Wood

June 19, 2012. Commissioners adopted Watauga County’s 2012-2013 Fiscal Year $54.5 million budget on Tuesday, June 19. See more info on budget here; Little changed from the proposed budget. Changes of the adopted budget are below. Before the adoption of the budget, commissioners spoke at length regarding some motions for allocations regarding nonprofits that were not allocated in proposed budget. These were presented to the board by Commissioner Jim Deal.

Deal motioned to increase funding (from earlier’s proposed budget) for Watauga Humane Society from $78,000 to $125,000; Watauga Public Library from $495,000 to $546,000; Hospitality House from $0 to $11,000; Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce $0 to $4,000; Boone Area Chamber of Commerce $0 to $10,000; Community Care Clinic from $22,500 to $24,000.

In all of those mentioned motions, the Republican Commissioners Nathan Miller, Vince Gable and David Blust voted against the motions with Deal and Commissioner Tim Futrelle voting for the extra allocations. Miller maintained a stance he has held since he was voted into office; nonprofits need to be able to stand on their own two feet, he said.

In the only motion regarding the extra allocations, the Appalachian District Health Department did receive an increase of 5 percent that amounted to $27,056. 

Adopted Changes from Proposed Budget:

 Increases

 Revenues

Cable TV Franchise Fees increase $10,000

Expenditures

Board of Elections increase travel and part time salaries $8,790

Board of Education increase current capital outlay $18,826

Recreation, Special Populations increase supplies and travel $850

Decreases

Expenditures

Special Allocations

decrease Children’s Playhouse $2,500

decrease WeCAN $1,000

Emergency Services

decrease cell allowance $576

Tax Administration

decrease salaries $6,000

General Administration

decrease Professional Services-Architects $7,540

decrease miscellaneous expenses $850