On Thursday, the Troup County Board of Commissioners reviewed the county’s budget for the first quarter, and while most expenditures were at the right level for first three months into the 2017-2018 fiscal year, overtime expenses are higher than expected for several departments.

At this point, only a quarter of funds should have been used. However, several departments are significantly over what was budgeted.

“Things that concern us though are in the salary section throughout,” said Buddy Cashwell, county finance officer. “Regular salary, we are at 24 percent of our budget for the quarter. On overtime, we are at 37 percent of the budget, so we really are concerned about that.”

Some of the departments who had excessive overtime have faced seasonal concerns like recent storms and even more mundane adjustments that don’t necessarily reflect on the budget like end of season maintenance on Parks and Recreation facilities.

“In part time where it is a little high is in the Parks and Recreation and the convenience center that are running above their budget, so far for the year,” Cashwell said. “Overtime, there is Roads and Engineering that is over. Grounds is over. Information (Technology) is over, and the (Troup County) Sheriff’s Office is over.”

According to Cashwell, if overtime expenses continue at the current rate for the rest of the fiscal year the county will be $371,000 over budget. The commissioners expressed a desire to bring the budget back in line, and Sheriff James Woodruff plans to speak on circumstances that have made overtime necessary for his department in a future meeting.

“The sheriff has had a few things come up this year that you might want to have him come back at the next meeting and discuss with you,” County Manager Tod Tentler said. “The other ones like Parks and Recreation are seasonal because the summer months just got finished, and some of the other things can be easily explained.”

The Troup County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to meet on Tuesday at 9 a.m. at 100 Ridley Avenue.