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Baldwin County Commission Begins Fiscal Year 2024 with a $250 Million Budget with a Focus on Public Safety, Infrastructure and Employees

Oct 16, 2023, 14:56 PM

The Fiscal Year 2024 Budget, which started October 1st, was adopted by the Baldwin County Commission on September 28, 2023, after months of work and prioritizing. The $250,133,924 budget is a 3.8% increase over the previous year’s $240,888,740.

As a part of the approved budget, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office will be replacing outdated software which handles computer automated dispatch, the record management system, and the jail management system for approximately $1 million. More importantly, the software system will provide the capability to share critical digital information with at least nine of our municipal partners and E-911. This is in addition to another $1.8 million for vehicle replacement and other important equipment for public safety purposes.

Notable projects funded in the upcoming fiscal year included                                                                                                                              

County Park Improvements

  • Improvements at Live Oak Landing and Bicentennial Park, which include an Interpretive Pedestrian Trail System to connect the two parks
  • Construction of the new County Rd 6 Park with boat launch on Bon Secour River
  • Facility upgrades at Lillian Recreational Park to include new bathrooms, a new pavilion, and improved ADA access
  • Playground Equipment Upgrades at Latham Park

County Road Infrastructure Improvements

  • Bridge Replacement on Sherman Rd over Weeks Branch
  • Resurfacing 34 miles of County roads
  • Paving 6 miles of existing dirt roads, including Paul Cleverdon Rd along the County Rd 65 Corridor
  • Capacity Improvements along the County Rd 64 Corridor between AL Hwy 181 and Fish River
  • Traffic Signal Installation at County Rd 12 & County Rd 65 Intersection
  • Intersection Safety Improvements and Realignment at US-98 & Old Foley Rd

 

One of the most important components in providing quality service to the citizens of Baldwin County is the employees. The primary focus of the Fiscal Year 2024 budget was providing relief to our most important assets dealing with the higher costs of living from not only the aftereffects of the pandemic but also the impacts of explosive population growth, which push costs even higher. The County Commission implemented a staggered pay scale adjustment plan providing larger percentage increases mostly for the front-line, entry-level personnel. 

Hourly rate positions starting at $12.25 through $15.63 were increased 11% to new starting amounts of $13.60 through $17.35.  Hourly rate positions starting at $16.42 through $19.38 were increased 8% to new starting amounts of $17.73 through $20.93. Hourly rate positions starting at $20.53 through $27.67 were increased 5% to new starting amounts of $21.56 through $29.05. 

The Adopted FY24 Budget can be found at: https://baldwincountyal.gov/departments/budget/budget-documents


For more information, please fill out a media request submission form at: https://baldwincountyal.gov/departments/county-administration/media-request