The Calhoun City Council has approved a series of fourth-quarter budget adjustments for Fiscal Year 2026, moving money between accounts to cover departmental expenses and fund ongoing projects.
One of the largest adjustments involved transferring $463,767 in surplus Electric Franchise Tax revenue to several General Fund accounts. Among the expenses covered was $101,038 in police overtime.
During the discussion, the overtime expense was attributed to staffing shortages within the police department. However, questions remained about why overtime costs exceeded budget projections despite the department operating with fewer full-time officers.
Other major financial adjustments included an $8.56 million transfer to School SPLOST Capital Projects, $40,212 in Opioid Settlement funds for police automated external defibrillators and furniture for the fire department training room, and a $1.15 million transfer of federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to the Water and Sewer Fund.
The ARPA money will support backup generator installations and the Spring Valley project.
