The Marshall County Council spent an entire day reviewing the 2015 budget requests and started the job of paring it down by one million dollars.
The County Commissioners didn’t have any recommendations to the council this year at the start of the budget hearing process although they stepped up to the plate and helped with a couple of major reductions right off the bat. A calculation error in the county’s insurance was the first reduction at $207,200. The commissioners also offered up $200,000 for fuel and $4,900 for the Maximus agreement. In the Rainy Day fund they also offered $5,000 for professional services.
The building Maintenance Department included $170,000 in next year’s budget to put a new roof on the County Building. A discussion between the council and commissioner determined the immediate need for the project and there is support to use the County’s rainy day fund to do the project this year, reducing their 2016 budget request by $170,000.
$10,000 was reduced from the CAGIT Certified shares Jail budget for radio repair and $1,000 in wages security officers. The Recorder gave up $100 in her longevity line item and Superior Court II Judge Dean Colvin reduced his request for office furniture by $20,000.
The County Council reviewed each and every budget with nearly all department heads or elected officials. At the end of the day they believed they had noted between $650,000 and $680,000 in reductions.
Councilwoman Judy Stone said, “We can’t give any raises if we can’t get the general fund down.” Estimated revenues are $8.8 million and requests were $9.8 million. Council members discussed different options for possible raises, from a 2% or 3% increase to a flat across the board increase of $500, $750 or more. They asked the County Auditor to prepare a report for their next meeting to see the actual costs of the various options.
County council members will continue to look for ways to whittle away at the 2016 budget requests and will make their final cuts during the budget adoption.
