County officials begin their annual budget meetings this week.

The process actually begins with a gathering of all of Buchanan County’s elected office holders in the Tom Mann Room at the courthouse on Tuesday from 9am to 10am.

A series of individual meetings with the office holders, department heads, and others begins the following day. Those meetings are scheduled Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in the County Commissioners Office. Some of the larger departments will schedule additional meetings.

The new budget goes into effect on January 1. The current budget includes spending of roughly $43 million. Western District Commissioner Ron Hook says the new budget will be close to that, with some variation for changes in staffing needs.