Most budget requests mirror those of 2016

NEW BOSTON, Texas—Besides the Bowie County Sheriff’s Office, District Attorney’s Office and District Court Clerk’s Office, several other office holders brought their fiscal year 2017 requests before budget planners last week.

County officials are looking at keeping next year’s overall maintenance and operations budget near $33 million, the same as last year.

In keeping with that goal, several officials requested exactly the same budget amounts as their requests in 2016, without making a formal presentation to the Commissioners Court. Those offices seeking the same amount included: Treasurer’s Office, $100,000; County Clerk’s Office, $326,000; County Judge’s Office, $203,000; and county’s Code Enforcement Office, $65,000.

Precinct 1, Place 2 Justice of the Peace Gibson “Hoot” Hadaway, who announced to the commissioners that he won’t seek re-election, asked for $166,000, which was his request in 2016. The same held true for Bowie County Election Administrator George Stegall ($73,200), Precinct 4 JP Betty Hankins ($72,000) and Precinct 1, Place 1 JP Nancy Talley ($178,500).

Bowie County Agricultural Extension Agent Cherrie Curtis asked for $134,163, about $28,000 more than the $106,161 with which she is projected to end the year. She will use the extra money to help fill a secretary’s position and care for other support staff needs.

Bowie County Veterans Service Office Assistant Shelia Kegley asked commissioners for about a $3 to $6 salary increase in order to bring the county’s current $12.12 per hour wage for her office up to about $15 to nearly $19 per hour. The increase would put the county on par with what nearby counties are paying their veteran services officers, Kegley said. The Texas counties she surveyed included Camp, Morris, Titus and Lamar.

The county’s budget planners are researching finance to see if salary increases will be possible.

The county’s budget must be approved by Sept. 30.