By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
Though the focal point of the June 27 special-called meeting of the Barren County Fiscal Court became the open public discussion and the subsequent vote on the medical cannabis business question, the true purpose of the court meeting, in Barren County Judge-Executive Jamie Bewley Byrd’s word, “was the second reading on [the county] budget.”
Ordinances require two readings before they are officially adopted by the respective governmental body. The Barren County Fiscal Court held its first reading on the fiscal year 2025 budget — which begins July 1, 2024 and ends June 30, 2025 in contrast to the calendar year — during the April 16 fiscal court meeting.
After its successful first reading the proposed budget went to Frankfort for their review and possible revisions before the fiscal court could conduct the second reading. Now, roughly two months later, the budget once again came before the court. The second reading was passed unanimously with little discussion from either the magistrates or Byrd.
A quick overview of the 24-25 budget has “total budgeted appropriations” — or, in other words, total allocated funds — across all ten categories comes in at roughly $19.43 million. Approximately $9.34 million of that total — comprising 48.06 percent of the budget — is reported as general fund.
The Barren County budget spans across numerous pages. A thorough, in-depth comparison between the first and now-adopted budget will take time. Such an article is planned to be published on Glasgow News 1 at a later date.
