Its budget for 2008-09 all but agreed upon, Warren County supervisors will mull small changes in the upcoming year’s spending plan for the remainder of the week. Their public hearing on the plan will be at 9 a.m. Sept. 2 and adoption of the budget and tax levy is to follow immediately.

Items still under consideration are salary hikes, realignment of fuel allocations for fire protection and animal control.

Supervisors are expected to impose a millage rate increase of 3.05 mills, an amount that would raise residential property taxes more than $30 more per $100,000 in assessed value this year. The increase would yield about $1.4 million more from local taxpayers and provide money to increase the overall county spending plan to $15.4 million. About $400,000 of the increase would flow to the City of Vicksburg’s treasury as the city’s share of the expected increase in the levy for the road department. About 60 percent of county taxes are paid by residents, businesses and industries inside the corporate limits.

Supervisors have cited conservative estimates pegging fuel costs in the sheriff’s and road departments to rise about $275,000. Another $12,000 in fuel for the county’s six volunteer fire departments may trickle through the budget via more detailed accounting of runs made in each fire protection district. Currently, all six receive equal funding to absorb gasoline costs.

City budget hearing tonightVicksburg residents have their chance to weigh in on the city’s budget for next fiscal year tonight before the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, which will adopt a spending plan budget Sept. 2. The budget hearing begins at 6 in the City Hall Annex at 1413 Walnut St.Mayor Laurence Leyens has said taxes will not be raised to support the $31.5 million budget, but the city will have little excess money as expenditures will match revenues almost to the penny.Projected growth of tax revenue in 2009 may make the situation a “one-time deal,” Fire Coordinator Kelly Worthy said, while waiting to assess any impact of a change until after the board votes on the full budget.

Supervisors await a decision by the Vicksburg-Warren Humane Society on designation of an animal control officer to look into calls from citizens dealing with vicious and nuisance animals. The local nonprofit is contracted to be the primary animal control agent outside municipal limits.

Supervisors have indicated the $125,000-a-year pact for stray animal housing and collection should stay the same. Costs for an animal control officer were pegged at $53,000, a notion supervisors felt was a duplication of services. Discussion in recent weeks has centered on an increasing resource strain for sheriff’s deputies often dispatched to handle animal calls.

This week, the group’s advisory board members were expected to either choose someone from its ranks or add the title to current president Georgia Lynn. No decision is expected before the fiscal year.

State lawmakers OK’d a higher annual pay for County Prosecutor Richard Johnson and supervisors have indicated they favor it, but have yet to make a decision. Yearly compensation for the elected post would rise from $44,812 to $92,853 if supervisors take full advantage of the change.

Related to that discussion, three orders issued Aug. 11 by County and Youth Court Judge Johnny Price that would have eliminated Johnson from prosecuting cases in youth court were rescinded Monday.

The Administrative Office of Courts, the administrative arm of the state court system, disallowed the action. Price has said he received conflicting information on what positions could be funded under special funds available through AOC for local courts. Johnson has contended the move was political. AOC has declined comment.

Board President Richard George said the board will use all available information when considering the raise.

“I suppose we’ll see if we have enough to deal with it,” George said.

The Vicksburg Warren School District has set and amended its budget to assure no change in the tax rate for schools.