The Morgan County board approved a new budget this morning.
The $14 and a half million general fund budget has no surprises.
Chairman Mike Wankel says the county has avoided any big ticket items.
He says they do have a jump in insurance rates in January, and have accounted for it in cash reserves.
Wankel says the outside of the courthouse will need to be addressed soon.
Wankel says the outside work has been the target of this board, and past boards, who have set aside money in reserves to pay for the work.
Wankel says the budget is balanced, and won’t spend reserves, unless an emergency crops up.
The board began with the usual give and take between commissioner Michael Woods, joining by phone, and Wankel and fellow commissioner Donnie Wood. Woods continues his plea to have other business included as a listing on the agenda, and criticized the board for what he called, “willy-nilly” meeting schedules.
Both Wood and Wankel criticized Woods for not attending the meeting in person, and they say the board needs a quorum for action.
The board approved a steak fry liquor license for the Jacksonville Area chamber of Commerce for September 17th.