County reviews projected 2012 budget
Lead Summary
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
As county departments begin planning for their respective 2012 budgets, Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley updated the county commission on current fiscal projections during a budget review hearing July 20.
Fawley told commissioners Shane Wilkin, Tom Horst and Jeremy Shaffer that the county’s estimated revenues for this year were approximately $8.225 million and that the collective expenses for next year were estimated at approximately $8.469 million.
“These are just the estimates,” Fawley said. “This is just the first step. We’ll know more in September and October as it becomes a little more accurate.”
Fawley told commissioners he was “hoping our sales tax would offset the local government cuts (by the state), but it’s not going to.”
The auditor said the cuts in local government fundings were between $175,000 and $180,000 for 2012.
Next year’s preliminary budget projections also included an anticipated carryover of approximately $400,000.
“So, actually, for next year we are down to $7.8 million?” Wilkin asked.
“I left the sales tax level the same for next year, hoping that’s where we are,” Fawley said. “By the time we get to October, we’ll know better.
“When you have a budget of $8.3 million, and $5.1 million is from sales tax revenues, that’s not a real secure way of doing things,” Fawley said.
“We’re living day to day on the sales tax,” Horst said.
• In other business, commissioners discussed a request from a Rocky Fork Lake area resident for a sewer tie-in.
Frank Leone of Environmental Engineering Services informed the county there were two possible options to consider: Allowing a tie-in at a cost of approximately $2,250 or installing a new grinder for $5,000.
“The main thing is we get the point across that this is a one-time thing,” Horst said. “He’s got to have sewer service.”
• Commissioners entered into an executive session to discuss the state audit. Commissioners passed the following resolution, all by 3-0 votes:
• A modification to the General Fund from: Transfers to Salary-Indigent-Stenographer for $6,000.
• A modification to the General Fund from Contracts & Services to Travel & Expense for $70.70.
• An additional appropriation to the General Fund (A-00), County Court, as follows: from unappropriated funds to county court, telephone for $94.17.
• Commissioners accepted a bid from Brown County Asphalt for the FY 10 CDBG Community Development Clay Township project, resurfacing Gray Road, for $51,993.09.
• Commissioners accepted a bid from Roberts Paving, Inc, for the FY 10 CDBG Community Development East Beech Street Resurfacing project for $30,749.92.
• Commissioners accepted a bid from Brad Evans Excavating, Inc. for the FY 10 CDBG Community Development Greenfield Lafayette Street Sidewalk project for $18,996.72.
• Commissioners accepted a bid from Brown County Asphalt for the Engineer's project, Resurfacing T.R. 278-A (Part) & B (Pea Ridge Road), for$182,231.20.
• Commissioners authorized an additional appropriation to the General Fund (A-00), Sheriff, as follows: From unappropriated funds, to Sheriff Employee Salaries for $1,935.61. The additional appropriation is from Methamphetamine Initiative Grant funds.
• Commissioners authorized a modification to the General Fund (A-00), County Miscellaneous, and an advance to Recycling Grant 2005 (Q-02) as follows: from Transfers, to Advances Out for $152.56. Recycling will return the advanced funds to the General Fund when Recycling receives their grant funds.
• Commissioners authorized a modification to the Highland County Job & Family Services - Children Services Special Fund (S-03) as follows: from Contract & Services, to Salary for $22,000.
• Commissioners accepted a bid for the 2011 Airport Obstruction Lighting, Obstruction Removal project per project specifications, funded 95% by the FAA: Jesse Howard Electric Section A – Obstruction Lighting $20,349.00; A-1 Tree Service – Section B, Base Bid $94,860; A-1 Tree Service – Section B, Alternate Bid $75,870; Total bid award is $191,079.[[In-content Ad]]
Fawley told commissioners Shane Wilkin, Tom Horst and Jeremy Shaffer that the county’s estimated revenues for this year were approximately $8.225 million and that the collective expenses for next year were estimated at approximately $8.469 million.
“These are just the estimates,” Fawley said. “This is just the first step. We’ll know more in September and October as it becomes a little more accurate.”
Fawley told commissioners he was “hoping our sales tax would offset the local government cuts (by the state), but it’s not going to.”
The auditor said the cuts in local government fundings were between $175,000 and $180,000 for 2012.
Next year’s preliminary budget projections also included an anticipated carryover of approximately $400,000.
“So, actually, for next year we are down to $7.8 million?” Wilkin asked.
“I left the sales tax level the same for next year, hoping that’s where we are,” Fawley said. “By the time we get to October, we’ll know better.
“When you have a budget of $8.3 million, and $5.1 million is from sales tax revenues, that’s not a real secure way of doing things,” Fawley said.
“We’re living day to day on the sales tax,” Horst said.
• In other business, commissioners discussed a request from a Rocky Fork Lake area resident for a sewer tie-in.
Frank Leone of Environmental Engineering Services informed the county there were two possible options to consider: Allowing a tie-in at a cost of approximately $2,250 or installing a new grinder for $5,000.
“The main thing is we get the point across that this is a one-time thing,” Horst said. “He’s got to have sewer service.”
• Commissioners entered into an executive session to discuss the state audit. Commissioners passed the following resolution, all by 3-0 votes:
• A modification to the General Fund from: Transfers to Salary-Indigent-Stenographer for $6,000.
• A modification to the General Fund from Contracts & Services to Travel & Expense for $70.70.
• An additional appropriation to the General Fund (A-00), County Court, as follows: from unappropriated funds to county court, telephone for $94.17.
• Commissioners accepted a bid from Brown County Asphalt for the FY 10 CDBG Community Development Clay Township project, resurfacing Gray Road, for $51,993.09.
• Commissioners accepted a bid from Roberts Paving, Inc, for the FY 10 CDBG Community Development East Beech Street Resurfacing project for $30,749.92.
• Commissioners accepted a bid from Brad Evans Excavating, Inc. for the FY 10 CDBG Community Development Greenfield Lafayette Street Sidewalk project for $18,996.72.
• Commissioners accepted a bid from Brown County Asphalt for the Engineer's project, Resurfacing T.R. 278-A (Part) & B (Pea Ridge Road), for$182,231.20.
• Commissioners authorized an additional appropriation to the General Fund (A-00), Sheriff, as follows: From unappropriated funds, to Sheriff Employee Salaries for $1,935.61. The additional appropriation is from Methamphetamine Initiative Grant funds.
• Commissioners authorized a modification to the General Fund (A-00), County Miscellaneous, and an advance to Recycling Grant 2005 (Q-02) as follows: from Transfers, to Advances Out for $152.56. Recycling will return the advanced funds to the General Fund when Recycling receives their grant funds.
• Commissioners authorized a modification to the Highland County Job & Family Services - Children Services Special Fund (S-03) as follows: from Contract & Services, to Salary for $22,000.
• Commissioners accepted a bid for the 2011 Airport Obstruction Lighting, Obstruction Removal project per project specifications, funded 95% by the FAA: Jesse Howard Electric Section A – Obstruction Lighting $20,349.00; A-1 Tree Service – Section B, Base Bid $94,860; A-1 Tree Service – Section B, Alternate Bid $75,870; Total bid award is $191,079.[[In-content Ad]]