Warren County government is beginning preparation for the 2021-22 budget year.

The county’s Financial Management Committee approved a budget-setting process for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2021 and ends June 30, 2022. Finance Department director Justin Cotten presented the timeline.

“A budget calendar must be approved before the end of January,” said Cotten, in presenting a list of deadlines that must be met in order for the budget to be set by June 30.

Once approved by the full Warren County Commission, all department heads, appointed officials and elected officials will be notified to begin the process of analyzing the needs of their departments for consideration.

Proposed budgets must be submitted to County Executive Jimmy Haley and Cotten.

County Budget and Finance Committee members will then meet to consider those budgets and determine a property tax rate for the coming year. Their recommendation on both the budget and property tax rate will be sent to the full Warren County Commission for consideration.

Due to delays, commissioners were late in setting last year’s budget for this fiscal year. It wasn’t approvedbytheCountyCommission until July – three weeks past the deadline.

Commissioner Scott Rubley, chairman of Budget and Finance, doesn’t foresee difficulties in setting a budget for 2021-22.

“I think we can stay on this calendar this year,” said Rubley. “Last year was an exception. I don’t see any problems with this.”