Year-end spending

plan approved

Staff Writer

Upson County Commissioners Wednesday approved a series of budget changes so the county's expenses can be met in the current fiscal year.

Higher-than-expected costs in seven county departments forced County Manager Mark Bryant to recommend budget cuts in nine other departments to make the numbers in the county's $11,582,106 budget work.

Although sales taxes generated $30,000 more than originally expected, it was not enough to prevent cuts totaling $131,035 from having to be made.

"Now that the tax season is over, we have a clearer picture of the financial situation of the county," Bryant told commissioners during a specially-called commission meeting Wednesday. "The overall budget is increasing a little over one percent and we have been working diligently to see that expenses are met."

The highest increase approved Wednesday was in the Upson County's Sheriff's Department and Jail, raised $223,812 from $2,468,485 to $2,692,297. The second biggest overrun came in the jail's food service budget, raised $100,000 from $130,000 to $230,000.

Other areas falling short financially this year were: