In 2010, the budget was about $13.34 million, and in 2011 it went up to about $15 million.

Although Davis said he is OK with the budget and will learn to manage the funds he has been given, he thinks the entire government of Chilton County would benefit to discuss where the budget money is going.

“I think it is important that we know exactly where the $15.5 million is going,” Davis said. “Everyone needs to have knowledge of where the money is being spent.”

Davis said he would like to work to make the county a safer and better place to live, but it takes funding to do that.

“As the sheriff, it is my job to protect people and their property and keep people safe,” Davis said. “I want to do that to the best of my ability, and the $445,500 would not fix every problem but would help.”

Currently, the sheriff’s department receives $1.8 million for the jail budget and $2.3 million for the sheriff’s department. The road department also accounts for another significant portion of the budget.

Commissioner Allen Caton said even though revenue was down making it impossible to hand out additional funding, the departments requesting more money understood the commissioners approving level funding.

“I really have to commend everyone within the different departments because we had to tell them there were no additional funds this year to hand out, and they accepted what we told them without a fuss,” Caton said.

Caton said looking toward the future, it is imperative to figure out ways to come up with additional revenue for Chilton County.

“In the last four to five years, our revenue has not increased,” Caton said. “Unfortunately, there is just no free money anymore.”