BAY MINETTE, Ala. — The Baldwin County Commission has rescheduled several budget hearings prior to finalizing dispersement of funds this fall, and are seeking ways to cope with shortfalls estimated at $2.5 million.

Commission chairman Charles “Skip” Gruber said Monday the April 20 explosion of an oil rig in the Gulf significantly countered a small increase in tax revenues earlier this year.

“We actually were seeing revenues trickling up in April,” Gruber said. “But after May, revenue went the opposite.”

The hearings are designed to allow county department heads to provide input and cost for proposed projects in the upcoming fiscal year.

All August meetings will be at 8:30 a.m. at the Baldwin County Administration Building conference room in Bay Minette.

Departments scheduled for budget deliberations are:

• Aug. 11, Baldwin County Solid Waste Department, Girl’s Wilderness, Juvenile Detention Center, Baldwin County Archives, registrar and CIS.

• Aug. 12, personnel, administration, budget, finance, sales tax, license inspector, legal, Baldwin County Legislative Delegation, Baldwin County Health Department, insurance, Baldwin County Council on Aging and miscellaneous appropriations.

Commissioners have not established an agenda for budgetary hearings scheduled Aug. 19 and Aug. 20.