Lafayette County’s budget for Fiscal Year 2020 was approved on Monday, and it comes with improvements and staff additions to the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department and other county departments.

During a special meeting, the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors approved the budget, which does not include a tax increase for county residents for a second straight year. The County’s millage rate remained at 36.98, which is the level it has been since it increased in the 2018 budget.

“With our rapid growth and reappraisal year, instead of just spending every dime, we make we try to budget in a way that allows us to maintain the same millage rate,” District 5 supervisor Mike Roberts said.

Total revenue anticipated by the County for 2020 is $31,616,911 with Ad Valorem accounting for $21,218,817 of it.

The County budgeted an expenditure of $12,519,240 in public safety, which includes the Sheriff’s Department and the Lafayette County Detention Center. There will be four new deputy positions added to the Sheriff’s Department and four new jailer positions added to the LCDC. A new lock system and hot water system will be installed at the detention center as well.

Renovations to the old DHS building and Justice Court for the Sheriff’s Department to utilize as office and training space were also included into the budget.

Public Safety’s budget makes up 31 percent of the distributed tax dollars, with Public Works getting receiving the most tax dollars at 32 percent. General Government makes up 19 percent with Courts, Health & Other and Debt Service receiving five percent each. Capital Projects make up three percent of distributed tax dollars.

“I think a lot of work went into all the budget requests and trying to fulfill them with maintaining a current millage rate,” Roberts said. “We were able to increase public service and safety (budgets) and also our road department equipment and take care of our personnel.”

The County is also adding an engineer and a planner position.