County cuts budget again

Pike County commissioners approved a 3.5% reduction of the current budget at the Sept. 27 meeting and discussed furloughs and other possible ways to cut county spending. A courthouse update was also part of the meeting and some adjustments to the final floor plan were approved by commissioners. County manager Bill Sawyer said he met with constitutional officers and department heads to discuss Pike’s financial options, including furloughs, holiday pay removal, reduction of the Pike’s part of employee heath care benefit coverage and an overall reduction in department budgets. ’After careful review and deliberations, our recommendation is to immediately develop plans to reduce the fiscal year 2011-12 budget by 3.5% which should provide long-term fiscal management with some secondary immediate relief,’ he said. ‘We need to immediately implement a moratorium on all but the most essential spending with an ongoing careful review of all expenditures.’