White County Commissioners are considering a temporary halt on non-essential spending due to economic uncertainty.
At their work session on Monday, March 31, commissioners approved several items, including a new vehicle for the Maintenance Department, weather alert sirens and weather radios for the Public Safety Department, and network switches for the IT Department. However, Chairman Travis Turner indicated that the board will likely act over the next week to slow down SPLOST capital purchases.
“I think most folks are watching very curiously regarding what’s going on with our economy. We’re still doing well; however, I think this board is going to be taking action next week or so to start slowing up our SPLOST capital purchases,” Turner said.
Commissioner Craig Bryant said he is ready to make a motion to halt non-essential spending for 90 days or until the end of this fiscal year. Turner agreed it may be wise to wait until the economic picture is clearer.
“My purpose is not to scare anyone,” Turner said, “that’s not my heart, but I think it’s financial wisdom for us to be conscious of the amount and how often we’re spending funds that we might be able to delay until we get a better feel for how the economy’s going.”
Commissioners will discuss SPLOST spending further at their regular meeting on Monday, April 7, at 4:30 PM.
