Warren County Commissioners have been having meetings examining the proposed budgets of various county departments.
Linda Hillis, finance director, is requesting $435,740 for the county’s finance department. The request stayed the same as last year’s budget request.
Almost half the budget, $234,073, is designated to pay the salaries of bookkeepers acquired by the department when the county implemented the Financial Management System Act of 1981. This act combined county government, highway department and school system financial departments into one department. The county’s financial department handles accounts payable and financial reporting for the three divisions.
 The county finance department handles payroll for over 300 county employees, more than 900 employees with the school system, and the 18 to 20 employees at the highway department.
 Finishing out the requested $435,740 is:
• $56,392 for Hillis’ salary
• $41,288 for assistant Melanie Lanier’s salary
• $44,657 in state retirement
• $25,380 in Social Security benefits for employees
• $24,300 for medical insurance
• $4,500 for travel expenses
• $4,000 for in-service training
• $650 in unemployment compensation
• $500 for life insurance
 The finance department budget proposal passed the Budget and Finance Committee and will go before the full County Commission in July.