County Board and Staff Discuss 'Critical' Budget Needs

Restoring library branch hours that were cut during the recession, funding police recruitment, and beefing up cyber security are a few items among a list of "critical needs" that have been identified by Arlington County staff. 

County Manager Barbara Donnellan outlined these needs to county board members during a budget work session on Tuesday afternoon. She is recommending that these needs be funded in the upcoming 2013 fiscal year budget, which will be voted on by the board on April 21. 

The critical needs list includes:

• Converting old paper files in the human resources department into electronic files, $23,700.
• Funding a position at the county employment center, $76,154.
• Restoring library branch hours that were cut during the recession, $442,996
• Police recruitment, $380,000. 
• Improving cyber security, $244,400. 
• Setting aside a general fund emergency "contingent," $500,000. 

Other recommendations made by county staff, but not included on the critical needs list, include:

• Compensating employees for the Christmas and New Year's holidays, $250,000. 
• Hiring a consultant for a housing survey, $400,000. 
• Funding a "step" increase, which would bump up the salaries for some county employees, $747,668.

Two more public workshops are scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Tuesday before the final vote. 

For more information about the proposed budget, visit the county's website and read more of Patch's .