DECATUR-- Over the last several years Macon County has gone from a $5 million budget deficit to an excess of over $10 million dollars in the general fund. 

At a special board meeting Tuesday night the board approved a new budget for the 2013 fiscal year; a budget they hope builds upon last years, which saw the county spend $5 million less than they had expected. 

Head of the finance committee Keith Ashby says the county has been able to improve every year due to bi-partisanship decisions…

“I am very pleased with the direction we are going… it is a bipartisan effort and we seem to be moving in the right direction for the citizens of Macon County.”

Current Macon County Board Chairman, Jay Dunn says creating a budget is a painstaking process, but it was made easier by a cooperative board.

 “It has been a long process that has been evolved over the past several years.  The elected officials have done a great job with their individual budgets but I think we have done a good job working together, moving in the same direction… this has been a great board to work with”

It could be the last budget hearing that Dunn oversees; the County Board will vote for a new chairman during a special meeting on December 3rd.