Shelby County has a new Fiscal Year 2014-15 Budget and Tax Rate after the commissioners' court gave their approval Monday morning. County Judge Rick Campbell says the Tax Rate will remain the same as last year at $.60 per $100 valuation, but due to property values increasing by 5.7 percent, there will be $463,000 more funding generated to support an operating Budget of $8.5 million. Also, for the first time in five-and-a-half years, there will be a five-percent cost-of-living increase across the board for all county employees, plus there’s “rainy-day” funds.

 

He said the new Budget is not “fluffed-up”, that cuts have been made to it for a couple of years. Judge Campbell said the Budget has some $2.8 million in “rain-day” funding just in case. He added, “Shelby County is in really good financial shape”.

 

Commissioner's also renewed the ambulance service exclusive 911 agreement with ACE EMS for another year. Judge Campbell said the county's nine-month $15,000 monthly agreement to ACE to assist with out-of-county emergency transfers also ends this month, despite Nacogdoches Medical Center's ER not opening until December.

 

Approval was also given for moving County Road 4484, located east of Tenaha, at the location where the Madden Company's material yard is located near the Ramah church. Judge Campbell says it does not affect any residences, and Madden has agreed to re-build the road.

 

The Child Safety Fee collected from vehicle registration will continue to go to CASA and the Shelby County Children's Advocacy Center, as agreed upon by the court.

 

Commissioners also voted on Kimbro Floor Service to re-stain the floor in the courtroom of the Historic Shelby County Courthouse for $577.