Along with a 2.5 percent cost of living raise for current employees, Shelby County will add 18 new positions in the upcoming budget year.

The County Commission approved a $77 million budget for 2004-05 recently. The budget year begins this Friday, Oct. 1.

Among the new positions the county is adding are five new deputies for the Sheriff’s Department along with one new administrative person.

Other additions include a food services supervisor for the Shelby County Jail; an operations clerk and two recording clerks for the Probate Judge’s office; an equipment operator and two laborers for the highway department; a utilities service technician and an equipment operator for the water services department; a supervisor for license operations; a data clerk for the license office and personnel; and an administrative assistant who will split time between the Emergency Management Agency and the landfill.

The budget also included an 8.9 percent increase for health insurance coverage for the next year.

Shelby County’s budget features total revenues of $77.06 million, up from last year’s revenue total of $75.73 million.

Expenditures expected for the next budget year total $76.79 million, up from $75.47 million last year.

Real property taxes and sales and use taxes are expected to jump 6 percent over collections from the last budget year.

Projected revenues for the $44.1 million general fund include these taxes at some $8.999 million for real property taxes and some $9.487 million for sales and use taxes.

Other projected revenues include rental taxes, $1.873 million; mortgage and deed filing taxes, $1.751 million; building permits, $1.383 million; tax assessor funds, $1.6 million; tax collector funds, $1.6 million; and probate judge fees, $1.435 million.

Grant funds which are accounted for in the general fund budget include a DARE grant, $10,000; legislative grants, $125,000; a juvenile drug court grant, $211,122; a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration, $880,000; a grant for the Shelby Regional Drug Task Force, $284,634; and law enforcement grants, $258,000 among others.

Proposed revenue for the Highway Department funds is $10.4 million and includes the 4 cent gasoline tax fund, the 2 cent gasoline tax fund and the road and bridge fund. Highway Department revenue in last year’s budget was $10.01 million.

Total revenues for the enterprise and miscellaneous funds is projected at $22.55 million. These funds include the landfill, water and sewer operations and community corrections. Last year’s revenues for the enterprise and miscellaneous funds totaled $23.03 million.

Projected expenses for the next budget year total $76.79 million, up from last year’s $75.47 million in expenses.

Expenses for the 2004-05 general fund total $43.84 million and include a $1.56 million budget for general government; a $2.54 million budget for county development services (formerly the planning department); a $1.05 million budget for the probate judge’s office; a $1.54 million budget for the management information services department; and $1.36 million for facilities management.

Some of the public safety expenditures (totaling $19.2 million) in the general fund budget are:

* $10.18 million for the sheriff’s department;

* $3.73 million for the jail;

* $1.29 million for juvenile detention; and

* $1 million for special road projects.

Health expenditures (totaling $468,635) in the general fund budget include:

* $300,000 for animal services and the Shelby County Humane Society;

* $50,386 for the animal services building; and

* $93,249 for environmental services.

Welfare, culture and recreation expenses (totaling $1.31 million) include:

* $207,612 for the Middle Area Agency on Aging;

* $36,000 for the Retired Senior Volunteer Program;

* $100,000 for quality of life grants offered through the county;

* $368,567 for county libraries;

* $344,314 for operation of park facilities; and

* $33,000 for the Shelby County Historical Society.

Education expenses total $125,000 and include $75,000 for the Shelby County Board of Education and $50,000 for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.

Other general fund expenses include grants, capital projects and the promotional account.

Expenses for the juvenile drug court, for instance, are $211,122.

Others include:

* SafeHouse, $89,900;

* Family Connection, $64,600;

* Shelby Emergency Assistance, $45,000;

* Total grant fund expenses are $812,622.

Total capital project expenses are $2.99 million and include funds for the Shelby County Airport and Shelby West Corporate Park among others.

Total expenses in the promotional accounts are $1.28 million and include $225,000 for Shelby West Corporate Park, $20,000 for the McWane Center, $130,000 for The American Village, $300,000 for the Shelby County Economic and Industrial Development Authority, $125,000 for Soccer Blast; $8,000 for Shelby Iron Park, $20,000 for the Alabama Symphony Orchestra; $18,000 for the Harrison Museum, $5,000 for the Coal Mine Museum in Aldrich and $60,000 for the Greater Shelby County Chamber’s Partnership.

Total expenses for the Highway Department are $10.41 million and include the gasoline tax fund and the 4-cent gasoline tax fund.

Total miscellaneous and enterprise expenses are $21.55 million, down from $23.03 million in last year’s budget.

These funds include landfill operations at $4.09 million; water system operations at $8.18 million; and sewer system operations at $9.4 million