Gwinnett County Commissioners on Tuesday approved the 2018 county budget, totaling $1.67 billion, which includes $390 million in capital improvements.
Among the larger expenses outlined by county officials are two new "Park & Ride" lots along Ga. 316, WiFi equipment on county buses and "funding to address homelessness."
“We will maintain core county services such as the jail, courts, police and fire protection, roads, transit and water, while adding a few new initiatives that reflect priorities the Board set last spring,” Commission Chair Charlotte Nash said in a statement.
The county is also beefing up its staff with the new budget, adding positions in public relations and county planning and development, plus management positions for the new Lilburn Activity Building.
Local law enforcement is also seeing an increase to its ranks, with commissioners approving 65 new police officer positions, 12 part-time sheriff's deputies, a pair of round-the-clock ambulance crews and a new ladder truck crew for the county fire department.
It also includes the construction of the new Bay Creek police precinct and an alternate E-911 center.
Officials said the budget is up "about seven percent" over 2017, which they attributed to transfers from capital improvements and higher costs for salaries and benefits.
Commissioner Tommy Hunter, who was reportedly in the hospital recovering from a heart attack, cast the lone dissenting vote against the budget. Hunter cast his votes via telephone.
The budget can be viewed online here.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2018/1/621358/gwinnett-commissioners-adopt-167b-budget-includes-390m-capital-improvements