Nov 15, 2002 By Steve Ostrosky 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – The Greene County commissioners approved the 2003 proposed budget Thursday that will keep taxes at their current rate. The $23.39 million unified budget, which includes the $10.8 million general fund budget, was detailed at length Wednesday by budget director Scott Kelley, and his only comment Thursday was to announce that one mill is worth about $1.3 million, given the county’s reduced tax rate to 5.42 mills. That rate reduction was necessitated by the change in county assessment ratio from 30 percent to 100 percent of market value, he said.

Commissioners voted to adopt the tentative budget and set the date of final budget approval for the Dec. 12 meeting. Chief clerk Gene Lee said the budget will be available for public review and comment for the rest of November and the first two weeks of December until the budget is approved.

The commissioners also approved the Greene County tax assessment property roll for 2003, which certifies that the new total assessed value of all the property in the county at $1.46 billion, an increase of almost $400 million from the 1992 reassessment.

In other matters, the commissioners adopted a resolution creating an endowment fund for the upkeep and future maintenance of the county’s original log courthouse, which was restored over a two-year period and opened to the public last month.

The endowment will begin with $10,000, and the interest earned and any donations for the courthouse will be used to ensure that all of the work that went into restoring the building will be maintained, according to John McCall, director of the Greene County Community Foundation. McCall said the fund provides a “secure avenue” for gift giving, and people can ensure their donations will go toward the upkeep of the courthouse.

The commissioners also approved the 2003 Greene County emergency management plan, the 2003 Children and Youth Services independent living plan and the 2001-2002 mental health/mental retardation $5.2 million income and expenditure report.

After the commissioners’ meeting, the salary board met and conducted the following business:

– Re-assigned DeAnna Strickland in the commissioners’ unit from temporary to full-time employment.

– Appointed Cynthia Harrison and William Cole as temporary maintenance workers at $7.13 an hour, effective Nov. 18.

– Appointed Janine Mansell, Barbara Richards and Patricia Penich as alternates for the 911 center at $7.32 an hour, effective Oct. 28.

– Appointed Sam Litten as a part-time consumer satisfaction worker at $6.49 an hour, effective Dec. 1; Betty Hurd as a part-time consumer satisfaction worker at $6 an hour, effective Dec. 1; and Toni Ferencak as a secretary in the human services department at $6.82 an hour, effective Nov. 18.