County board approves budget

The Union County Board of Commissioners this week gave final approval to a new budget.

The budget was approved at a continued meeting of the county board held Monday afternoon, Nov. 30. The meeting was at the Union County Courthouse in Jonesboro.

The commissioners unanimously approved an appropriation resolution for the new budget.

The county's new fiscal year started Tuesday, Dec. 1, and runs through Nov. 30, 2010.

The commissioners also approved a tax levy resolution to generate local funding for the budget.

Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2009-2010 total $9,927,125.

A breakdown of appropriations by funds includes:

County general fund $3,409,505. Municipal Retirement and Social Security $786,094.

Southern Seven Health Department and Mental Health $77,650. Tuberculosis $12,769.

County ambulance $966,900. County cemetery fund $12,000.

Liability insurance and unemployment compenstation $416,703. General assistance $50,881.

Cooperative Extension $45,175. County highway department $871,523.

County bridge fund $101,500. Federal aid matching $125,000.

County motor fuel  tax $625,500. Hardroad fund $107,500.

Unit road district $247,000. Unit road district, bridge $104,800.

Unit road district motor fuel tax $847,000. Township bridge program $630,000.

Law library $25,000. County tourism $40,750. County hotel/motel tax $80,150.

Animal control $74,725. Public safety $234,000.

Senior citizens social service $35,000.

The tax levy resolution approved by the commissioners Monday is expected to generate $2,568,853 in local funding.