By GARETT VALCOURT
The Holmes County Board of County Commissioners approved the 2025-2026 fiscal year budget during a special meeting held September 22, 2025, voting to retain the current millage rate of 9.4916 mills while reallocating Local Option Gas Tax (LOGT) funds to cover a budget shortfall.
Commissioner Clint Erickson offered the motion to set the tentative millage rate at the existing 9.4916 mills, 9.94% above the rolled-back rate of 8.6336 mills, and to use $182,786 from LOGT funds to close the gap needed to balance the General and Transportation Trust Funds. Board Chair Earl Stafford emphasized that maintaining the same millage rate will generate a slight increase in revenue for the county and allow the County to balance the budget. The motion passed with majority approval.
The board also addressed several budget-related matters, including:
Tax Collector’s Request: Commissioner Erickson raised Tax Collector Harry Bell’s request for $7,700 to cover employee insurance costs for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, as well as Bell’s request to reinstate health insurance benefits for his staff in the new budget year. While Bell was absent due to a prior engagement, Erickson reminded the board of prior discussions and a verbal agreement to assist the Tax Collector.
Library and Road Materials: The adopted budget includes a pay increase for the Holmes County Library’s Assistant Director. Meanwhile, the Road Materials budget for each district was reduced to $27,500.
U.S. 79 Corridor Payments: Erickson questioned funding for two payments of $27,895 each tied to the U.S. 79 Corridor project, costs that Erickson stated City of Bonifay had initially been expected to assume. Erickson moved for the county to make both payments from the General Fund, to be reimbursed later using LOGT funds. The motion carried with all commissioners in favor except Chairman Stafford, who voted no.
The discussion also revisited concerns over drawing from LOGT reserves. County Finance Director Angie Purvee cautioned that the county budget committee preserved LOGT funds to ensure available resources for natural disaster recovery efforts, particularly given the county’s current non-compliance with FEMA standards.
That FEMA status stems from the county’s 2024 procurement process for disaster-recovery services, which was flagged by the Florida Department of Emergency Management (FDEM).
At a September 17, 2024 meeting, County Attorney Nate Nolin reported that four proposals had been submitted for the Disaster Recovery Administration Services RFP 24-03; The Integrity Group, Wheeler Emergency Management Consulting, Solix, and Kent Smith Group.
Erickson’s prior motion to award the contract to Wheeler Emergency Management Consulting was later deemed non-compliant because the proposals were not formally scored as required by FDEM.
Nolin stated that score sheets had been provided during deliberations and suggested that “certain members of the board had already made up their mind before the meeting even began.”
Erickson defended his decision, citing his familiarity with Wheeler’s prior performance.
To conclude the 2025 budget hearing, Erickson brought up another request from Harry Bell.
Bell requested reinstatement of $53,716 in the 2025-2026 budget to cover employee insurance costs. His original request was for $60,957 which was cut from the County’s budget.
Bell was requesting that the Board reinstate that line item but reduced the amount to $53,716.
After much silence of trying to find where to pull those funds from, Erickson suggested the second request from the Tax Collector would be tabled until potential future revenue from the anticipated Pilot Travel Center could be identified as a funding source.
This recommendation was approved by all members.
PUBLISHER’S NOTE: In the spirit of transparency, it should be noted the Holmes County Advertiser is owned by Carol Kent Smith who also owns the CEI firm, Kent Smith Group, which is mentioned in this news article.
Staff Report 