The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners held a called meeting on Thursday, September 18, to approve the FY 2009 General Fund Budget and set the tax levy.

The $6,624,356 budget reflects a $355,305 increase over last year's budget.

The budget includes:

.. The purchase of one vehicle for the sheriff's office.

.. Capital outlay projects that are considered necessities.

.. A three-percent salary increase for all employees. Of the $355,305 overall increase in the budget, raises account for $125,000 of this amount.

The departmental budgets that comprise the General Fund Budget are:

The Board of Commissioners, $161,278; Capital Outlay, $123,644; the Superior Court Clerk's Office, $206,920; the Coroner's Office, $12,339; the Judicial Budget, $28,701; County Cost-Share Programs, $57,051; the County Attorney, $27,965.

The Cooperative Extension Service, $66,401; Election Expenses, $78,972; Employer Payroll Liability, $452,202; the Finance Department, $77,700; General Administration, $1,215,012; the Library, $101,728; The Lincoln Center, $26,094; the Code Enforcement Officer, $102,209.

Planning and Zoning, $100,205; Probate Court, $156,130; Communications, $172,819; GIS (Geographic Information Center), $32,169; the Office of Emergency Services, $706,585; the Volunteer Fire Departments, $10,580; the Road Department, $585,920.

The County Shop, $100,669; Arts and Recreation, $225,156; the Senior Citizens Program, $53,972; the Transit Program, $74,021; the Jail, $606,247; the Sheriff's Office, $624,962; the Tax Assessor's Office, $180,763; the Tax Commissioner's Office, $180,942; and Information Technology, $75,000.

In other business, the commission approved the tax levy for 2008. The millage rates are as follows: County Government, 9.70 mills; School Maintenance and Operations, 14.877 mills; the Development Authority, 1.00 mills; and the State, .25 mills, for a total of 25.827 mills.

The next regular meeting of the board of commissioners will be held Thursday, October 9, at 6 p.m. in the courtroom on the second floor of the courthouse.