Athens‑Clarke County adopts FY27 budget after enterprise‑fund briefing

The Athens‑Clarke County Commission adopted its fiscal year 2027 budget on June 9 after a manager’s‑office presentation explaining enterprise funds and a brief period of discussion among commissioners.

Bob from the manager’s office told the commission that enterprise funds operate like businesses where users pay for services, naming airports, landfill, water and sewer, solid waste and stormwater as examples. "They're operated like businesses. The money they collect pays for what it is that they do," he said.

Using the water and sewer enterprise as an example, the presenter said the fund is projected to generate about $82.5 million in FY27 while projected spending on that enterprise is about $95.5 million; the gap is being covered in part by previously banked fund balances earmarked for capital projects. He noted the capital program includes roughly $20 million projected in the coming year for rehabilitating and replacing sewer lines. The presentation described an unrestricted net position that would decline from about $96 million to an anticipated $73 million as funds are applied to capital work.

Commissioner Myers highlighted personnel spending and an amendment increasing market‑rate pay adjustments, saying the bulk of the budget "is going to our staff." Commissioners approved an amendment to raise market pay increases to 4% for unified plan employees and retained a 3% increase plus step increases for public safety staff.

Attorney Drake read the formal budget ordinance language before the body moved and seconded the ordinance for adoption. The mayor called the voice vote and members answered 'I.' The mayor afterward thanked staff and the commission for what he called a collaborative process.

What happens next: staff said the commission will follow up with more detailed work sessions in the fall on public utilities and other enterprise funds to provide further detail on rates, capital programming and long‑term financing plans.

(Quoted speakers and factual claims are drawn from the meeting transcript; where dollar amounts and projections were stated in the presentation, the article reports those figures as presented to the commission.)