I don't want to tell a department head right from the beginning what he needs or doesn't need. I get a statement from the county saying this is what you're going to get for tax dollars. I have a separate meeting with each of the department heads to look at what we need to cut.

This would be another step for Boone in biotech and value-added agriculture to push that marketing niche we're forming in our community.

The county won't see any change in the taxes they receive or anything until a business or industry decides to go up over there.

We don't tell them exactly what to spend. Parks typically gets the greatest amount of local option money and they spend it on whatever priorities they feel are most important.

In March we'll know (what amount will be given to the YMCA). If there are additional funds, we could give those to CVB.

We are waiting for abstracts to be updated and for the phase one and two EPA studies to be completed. We will probably close sometime in early March.

There are no additional places to grow.

I didn't see very much of it impact this budget. We're in a position where we are better off than a year ago, but still not in great shape. Until the Legislature changes how they do things with the rollback, we probably won't have extra tax dollars.

Where the crux of the issue lies is that (certain) departments are so heavily based on labor force. There is more to it at the library, there's a little more flexibility about other softer items where you are just able to cut.