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By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor 

COLUMBIANA – The Shelby County Commission approved a $90 million operational budget for fiscal year 2025 during a regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, Sept. 9.

The county’s general-fund operational budget for fiscal year 2024 is at $90,334,054 which is an increase from fiscal year 2024’s $86,346,416.

“I want to thank the staff, I thought it was a good budget,” Commissioner Lindsey Allison said. “I think it’s very reasonable in light of what’s going on in the economy.”

The county’s budget for the next fiscal year begins on Oct, 1 and ends on Sept. 30, 2025. The budget includes $197,709,958 in total revenues with more than $197,506,038 in total expenditures.

“I appreciate the staff’s work,” County Manager Chad Scroggins said. “It’s the entire staff, from top to bottom, that works on this.”

During the meeting, Scroggins highlighted a few items off of the budget, including changes to health insurance costs from the Alabama State Employees’ Insurance Board, holiday schedule changes, updates to the employee disability fund and changes to travel policy. Additionally, the county increased the pay for Shelby County coroner to $71,552.54 which became effective Sept. 13.

The following items are included as capital projects or special projects in the county’s FY 2025 budget:

• Support for School Resource Officers
• Water plant connector – Talladega/Shelby and South Plant Connection
• Calera water main extension
• Helena water main extension
• Emergency communications coverage and capacity improvements
• Construction of Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Jail improvements – Estimated $28,000,000 if constructed after evaluation and bid
• Double Oak Park trail expansion
• Cahaba River Park –South sector caretakers house and pavilion
• Double Oak Park – South sector caretakers house
• Dunnavant Valley Greenway Phase 2 extension
• Park capacity/improvement projects or tourism associated projects
• Emergency Medical Services response capital and operating initiative – $2,300,000
• Park and rec improvement grants – $500,000
• Community improvement grants – $250,000
• Environmental improvement projects – Recycling initiative – $160,000

Commissioner Kevin Morris highlighted that the discussion regarding the county’s budget is a process that takes place well before budgeting season and expressed his gratitude to those who made it possible.

“A lot of these things that impact the budget started months and months ago with decisions that this commission made,” Morris said.  “We’re very appreciative of not only the staff, but all of the employees across the county who have done their jobs well to allow us to be at this point.”