“Employees will receive a 2 percent cost of living increase and a 2.5 percent merit increase of $1,311,650,” Hallman told the BOC. “Other allocations include $1,500,000 for park expansion, $1,750,000 for road improvements and safety projects and $885,493 for jail annex debt service.”

She said the county is budgeting $400,000 for new sheriff’s office vehicles, $95,000 for technology replacements and $379,500 for software and data center replacements.

Twenty-eight new county positions are expected to be created, including those in the departments of property management, traffic operations, Superior Court clerk, solicitor, district attorney, State Court, public defender, State Court public defender, sheriff’s detention, fire/EMS, Boundary Waters Park, skateboard park and library.

No public comments were made at Tuesday’s meeting. The proposed budget is available for viewing at the BOC offices in the courthouse, public libraries and online at the county Web site, www.CelebrateDouglasCounty.com.

Items unanimously approved Tuesday by the BOC included:

• approval to advertise for public hearing to consider changes to the county’s animal ordinance to include amendments on vicious animals and outdoor tethering;

• budget amendment to show $166,000 funds from the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) for the Lee Road-I-20 project;

• employment agreement with Laurie Fulton for election superintendent position;

• memorandum for taxation agreement with new industries, Toronto Baking and Alston and Bird legal group;

• Lexis Nexis software renewal for county legal department;

• authorization for the parks and recreation department to apply for a $100,000 Recreational Trails Grant through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR);

• easement acquisition for Fairplay ballfield to allow installation of a sewage pump station and force main to bring sewer service to Fairplay Middle and South Douglas Elementary schools;

• authorization for GDOT agreement to pave four additional county roads;

• presentation of county employees of the year awards to Pamelia Gaines in public safety and Rhonda Payne in county government;

• and presentation of historic documents, including the 10 Commandments, by Ned Fowler.

The BOC also heard a report from Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) representatives on the State Route 6 corridor study.