CADIZ – Harrison County has approved its 2021 general fund budget which is estimated at more than $8 million for the year.

The board of commissioners approved the $8,089,995.96 budget during Tuesday’s meeting. The budget has increased by more than $700,000 from the 2020 version of $7,326,085.39.

Commissioner Don Bethel said the increase is due to a few contributing factors including the county’s commitment of funds to two impending projects — the Freeport sewer project and the new county jail facility.

“We have to leave money appropriated for both projects,” he said.

Commissioners also approved the special revenues budget for the upcoming year. The county’s estimated special revenue is $26,804,132.57 with the largest income being the gas tax which provides $5.157 million in funding for the county engineer’s office. The county’s largest source of funding is both property and sales tax, Bethel said, although he did not specify an exact amount.

In other news, Bethel and Commissioner Dale Norris signed an agreement with Hammontree & Associates to complete bridge inspections for the county. Commissioner Paul Coffland was absent from the meeting.

The county agreed to pay $30,000 for the company to perform inspections on all 184 of the county’s bridges.

“We know already that five bridges need to be replaced,” Bethel said. “Every year we have a company go around and make sure the bridges are safe.”

The consultant will notify the county engineer if rapid deterioration or dangerous conditions exist in any of the structures so any issues can be corrected.

Also at the meeting, Garen Rhome, administrator of the county’s health department, gave his weekly update of the coronavirus in the county. The county received a total of 100 vaccines that will be administered to local EMS, residents and staff of long term care facilities, and residents and staff of the board of developmental disability.

The department began administering its first round of COVID-19 vaccines Monday to EMS personnel from Deersville, Harrisville, Bowerston and Freeport. Rhome said by Tuesday, almost every member of EMS personnel in the county had received a vaccine.

The department will continue to administer the vaccines throughout the week. Today, around 20 residents of the Harrison County Home will receive the vaccine, Rhome said.

“By the end of tomorrow (Wednesday) we will have vaccinated around 50 folks,” he said.

As of Tuesday, there are a total of 663 confirmed cases in the county, 447 presumed recovered and 12 deceased. There are currently 204 active cases in Harrison County.