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By ZACHARY SEIFTER/ Staff Writer

The Chilton County Commission approved its budget for the upcoming fiscal year during a meeting on Sept. 28.

The commission approved the budget by a vote of 6-1. Commission Chairman Joseph Parnell, as well as Commissioners Jimmie Hardee, Darrell Bone, Matthew Mims, Joe Headley and Randell Kelley voted in favor of approving the budget. Commissioner Allen Williams voted against it.

Williams spoke out about the budget before the vote, saying he did not think that the commission should fund the IDA with the money designated for them in the budget.

“I think our money would be better spent … on the road department,” Williams said.

Despite Williams’ concerns, the rest of the commission felt differently.

The total budget for the county for the upcoming fiscal year amounts to $44,122,429. That total is made up of all the revenue that the county receives, the money that is transferred to different funds and the total expenditures for the county.

Nearly half of that makes up the general fund, used by the commission for a multitude of purposes such as maintenance, upkeep of the courthouse, paying county employees, etc.

The general fund is larger than any other fund at $21,859,722.

The next two highest funds in the budget belong to the Road Department and the Sheriff’s Office.

Money put into a gasoline fund as well as a Triple-R fund make up the total amount of money designated to the Road Department. The total budget for the Road Department is $9,156,464.

For the Sheriff’s Office, the total fund in the budget designated to them is $5,549,700.