COVINGTON, Ga. – The Newton County Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 Monday night to table a vote on the county’s FY 2019 budget.

The vote to table came after District 1 Commissioner Stan Edwards presented a budget that he said fully funds market pay adjustments for county employees, but maintains the county’s current millage of 13.441. The proposed budget commissioners met in a special meeting to consider would have raised the millage to 13.95.

Edwards substitute budget proposed to fund all currently open public safety positions while eliminating funding for new positions until the current vacancies have been filled, adding only one new position in each of probate, juvenile, roads department and development services.

The move to table was presented by Edwards in order to give commissioners time to consider his new proposed budget.

District 3 Commissioner Nancy Schulz and District 5 Commissioner Ronnie Cowan voted with Edwards to table the budget vote. District 2 Commissioner Lanier Sims and District 4 Commissioner J.C. Henderson voted against the move.

County attorney Megan Martin said the tabling could push back the FY 2019 budget vote as much a month. Schulz asked that Martin look into the possibility that the vote could happen sooner.