FORSYTH COUNTY -- Local officials have said the proposed budget is about as lean as they want it to get.
But some department heads are concerned their operations might suffer if they do not increase staff, which is something the finance department has tried to avoid adding in order to provide a leaner final budget approved by the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners in September.
The board of commissioners took no immediate action.
"Everyone has to realize that we must have a balanced budget," said Forsyth County Commission Chairman Charles Laughinghouse. "We will take all requests under advisement."
A handful of departments approached the board of commissioners July 8 to share their current situations.
District Attorney Penny Penn said the county needs another prosecutor since the number of state funded attorneys has reached the maximum.
"The case load has grown," she said. "We have seen an increase in the number of victims since 2005. We are several months behind this year."
Penn said 246 cases are currently being handled by the four prosecutors.
"If we were to continue in this way," she said, "the situation could become dire."
Voter Registrar Gary Smith said his department has complied with all the cuts requested by the county finance department. But he said it would be helpful to have a full time warehouse manager rather than a seasonal employee.
Director of Pre-Trial Jamie Tavenier said he did not know if his department could handle another year or more with the current case load.
