By Kevin Jefferies
Lamar County – Lamar County commissioners are facing a $1 million shortfall in this year's budget. About $400,000 of that is due to rising health insurance costs. Although revenues for Lamar County are expected to be up, departmental requests for employee pay raises, furniture for the newly remodeled courthouse, and rising fuel costs bring general fund expenditures $1.16 million higher than last year's budget.
Lamar County commissioners examined the budget in sessions Monday and Tuesday of this week. The commissioners felt keeping a quality insurance plan for employees was important and looked elsewhere for possible cuts.