With Athens County's fiscal year ending in about a month, various departments came to the County Commissioner's office to seek approval for next year's budgets.
The three county commissioners were visited by 13 different county departments on Tuesday, ranging from 911 services to the Board of Elections.
One of the first people to present the budget was Keller Blackburn, the county's prosecuting attorney, to discuss the budget for the county jail. Blackburn said the Vivitrol program, which uses the drug to help offenders addicted to heroin or painkillers, has reduced costs for the jail. According to Blackburn, about 90 percent of the cases they dealt with were drug-related.
"Due to the success of our Vivitrol program, $154,000 has been saved," Blackburn said.
The news was not as bright for 911 services. In the past year, revenues were at $1.6 million and expenses were at $1.8 million, with revenues expected to decrease in the future.
"The bank is broken and you're continuing to extend beyond the bank," Commissioner Lenny Eliason said.
Acting Director Aaron Maynard suggested that space on the radio towers could be sold for revenue through Agile Networks, which Commissioner Chris Chmiel called "a state-sponsored monopoly."
"Our responsibilities have increased," Maynard said to explain the increasing expenses.
The Athens County Common Pleas Court also requested money. Patrick Lang, the the court's judge, wanted to purchase three stun guns for the court's constables and a new recorder, as the old one had broken. Lang said getting a new recorder was urgent and would cost $15,000, but that the county would only have to pay half.
"We're trying to get every penny we can back to the county," Lang said. "God knows you need it."
