Nicole Love Hendrickson, chairwoman of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners, has presented a budget to the tune of $2.5 billion as a proposed guide for County government spending in fiscal year 2024.
$1.96 billion is allotted as an operating budget which will fund day to day expenses such as:
- Employee salaries
- Employee benefits
- Equipment
- Repairs
$542 million is earmarked as a budget for capital improvements; this includes funding from the County’s Special Purpose Local Options Sales Tax program.
Another part of the proposed budget is intended to address outstanding needs in the larger community such as public safety projects and affordable housing. It is also seeking to support current challenges in the County government around the acquisition and retention of a qualified workforce.
According to Chairwoman Hendrickson: “Our 2024 proposed budget focuses on ensuring that we can maintain our exceptional services while prioritizing the rapidly changing needs of our residents and businesses. With this budget, we’re taking prudent steps to address priorities like infrastructure, sustainability, and a healthy community that not only impact our county today but sets us up for success long into the future.”
Other initiatives addressed in her proposal seek to advance crucial infrastructure projects within the 2023 SPLOST program and create a “new traffic signal crew.”
The planned budget will allow the County to develop “a biosolids dryer facility” aimed at reducing the environmental footprint and fiscal challenges of transporting waste materials from the F. Wayne Hill Water Resources Center into landfills. It will also allow for the updating of the Solid Waste Management Plan and sustain and expand the network of Gwinnett Trails as a further effort to increase sustainability outcomes.
In an effort to center community health, this budget outlines a plan to improve access to not just affordable housing but also to fund a health care initiative with investments in mental health challenges and chronic health related issues. It will provide expanded staff and equipment vehicles for Gwinnett Fire and Emergency Services as well.
To view business plans which were presented earlier this year by department directors and other elected officials in the budget development efforts, presentations can be found at TVGwinnett.com.
Hendrickson has already enlisted the support of six local County residents to review departmental requests and afforded them the opportunity to make recommendations for the finalized proposal.
The 2024 fiscal year budget resolution can be found at GwinnettCounty.com. Requests for hard copies should be directed to the Financial Services office at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center in Lawrenceville. The office is open Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
A public hearing will be held on Monday, Dec. 4 at 6:30 p.m. at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center. Gwinnett County residents will be able to share any input on the County’s website until the end of the calendar year on Dec. 31.
On Jan. 2, commissioners will review the 2024 budget at their first annual meeting in the new year.
