THOMASVILLE — Thomas County commissioners will begin two days of budget hearings Monday.

At 9 a.m., commissioners will conduct a public hearing to allow citizens to make comments and ask questions about the 2010 general fund budget.

“The budgets are available in the county commission office for anybody who wants to look at them,” said Mike Stephenson, county manager.

The hearings are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at Thomas County Emergency Services Center, 1202 Remington Ave.

The county manager’s recommended 2010 budget is $19,794,346, a reduction of $359,965 from 2009, said Laura Nichols, county government finance director.

“As far as our day-to-day operations, we project operating at the same level as we did this year,” the county manager said.

Commissioners met a number of times in November and December 2009, before trimming 10 percent off the manager’s recommended budget, which contained a 7 percent decrease from 2008.

Capital purchases proposed in 2010 include six Thomas County Sheriff’s Office patrol cars, a jail security system, vehicles and equipment for public works, an ambulance and a rescue truck for the Boston fire station, among other purchases.

Stephenson said the capital purchases will come from the “rainy day account,” which is not county government reserves.

On Thursday, Nichols said the account contained $936,6345. The proposed amount for the account in 2010 is $890,707 — after capital purchases.

Capital purchases are for replacements.

Before cuts began, the figure containing department heads’ requests was $22,428,493, Nichols said.

The proposed 2010 budget does not contain funding for cost-of-living or merit raises for county employees.

Among the offices to be represented at Monday hearings are:

• Board of registrars

• Humane society

• Agriculture

• Sheriff

• Tax commissioner

• Election superintendent

• Public defender

• District attorney

On Tuesday, commissioners will hear from:

• Fire/rescue

• Public works

• Public property

• Superior Court

Stephenson said department heads appearing at the hearings are those who need additional money.