Gainesville —
Cooke County department heads are making 2013 budget requests through this afternoon as part of hearings that began Monday.
During Monday’s installment, eight officials discussed their requests — many of them including increases against 2012 amounts.
All figures that follow are Monday’s tentative requests that were subject to change following discussion with county commissioners, and are taken from preliminary budget request documents.
• County Attorney Tanya Davis requested $513,000, which included a 5 percent salary increase for staff, and was an increase against the $494,535 budget of 2012.
• County Court at Law Judge John Morris requested $372,117, which included salary increases for his assistants and court reporter and was an increase against the $371,117 budget of 2012.
• Extension Office Director Wayne Becker requested roughly $115,000, which included an increase in secretarial, travel and supply expenses and was an increase against the $100,092 budget of 2012.
• Maintenance Department Representative Ricky Kerr requested $787,752, which included increases in building repair and utility costs, and was an increase against the $610,057 budget of 2012.
• Muenster Library Representative Cliff Sicking requested $12,000, an increase against the $10,000 budget of 2012.
• County Information Technology Director Dana Sons requested $456,978, which included additional computer equipment costs and was an increase against the $269,428 budget of 2012.
• Cooke County Historical Commission Representative Ron Melugin requested $1,000, a decrease against the $1,200 budget allotment of 2012.
A preliminary budget was due to county officials May 31. A public hearing for the 2012-13 budget requests, offering the public opportunities to comment, is tentatively set for Aug. 16.
During departmental budget hearings, representatives of various county departments discuss their budget requests for the coming fiscal year with Cooke County commissioners. This week’s hearings are open to the public, though public comments won’t be included in the process until the public hearing in August.
Tuesday’s installment of the hearings included requests from Meals on Wheels of Texoma Representative Greg Pittman; County Treasurer Judy Hunter; Highway Patrol Trooper Mike Linnell; Cooke County Sheriff’s Office and courthouse security representative Mike Compton; Assistant District Attorney Ron Poole; Child Protective Services Representative Danielle Deloach; County Fire Marshal Ray Fletcher; Precinct 4 Constable Richard Roth; Texoma Council of Governments Executive Director Susan Thomas; Commissioners Secretary Vicki Barnes; County Compliance Officer Shannon Ing; County Clerk Rebecca Lawson; Abigail’s Arms Executive Director Kim Cook; Court Appointed Special Advocates Executive Director Vicky Robertson; and County Auditor Shelly Atteberry.
Today’s installment follows:
• Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace Judge Jason Brinkley — 10 a.m.
• Precinct 1 Constable Terry Gilbert — 10:15 a.m.
• Noah’s Ark Animal Shelter Representative Larry Claxton — 10:30 a.m.
• County District Clerk Susan Hughes — 10:45 a.m.
• Emergency Medical Services Director Kevin Grant — 11:15 a.m.
• Environmental Health Officer Laura Blanton — 11:30 a.m.
• Heritage Society Representative Kay Wallace — 11:45 a.m.
• Human Resources Director Elizabeth Huchton — 1:30 p.m.
• Texoma Community Center Executive Director Tony Maddox — 1:45 p.m.
• Tax Assessor/Collector Billie Jean Knight — 2 p.m.
• Upper Elm/Red Soil/Water Conservation Representative J.K. Brite — 2:15 p.m.
• Veteran’s Service Office Representative and County Judge John Roane — 2:45 p.m. and 3 p.m.
• Cooke County Library Director Jennifer Johnson-Spence — 3:15 p.m.
• 235th District Judge Janelle Haverkamp — 3:30 p.m.
• Precinct 1 Road and Bridge Representative Gary Hollowell — 3:45 p.m.
• Precinct 2 Road and Bridge Representative B.C. Lemons — 4 p.m.
• Precinct 3 Road and Bridge Representative Alan Smith — 4:15 p.m.
• Precinct 4 Road and Bridge Representative Leon Klement — 4:30 p.m.
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Budget requests presented
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