There may have been, in the words of Commissioner Marv Bodie, "a lot of hurt that was shared all the way around," but county personnel managed to hold the 2010 proposed tax levy to a maximum increase of 4.19 percent. At least, that's the word for now.
"We could still have another unallotment [before the end of the year]," cautioned Commissioner Dick Brenner.
The final budget and levy must be passed by the board before the end of December, and the board agreed to accept final public comment on the matter during a 6 p.m. meeting on Dec. 21.
Mike Stafford reported on behalf of the county finance committee in an overview of the county's proposed cutbacks for 2010. He explained the county is on track to experience an unallotment of some $506,128 in county program aid from the state of Minnesota, plus a reduction of some $550,000 in public health and human services aid.
To help counterbalance that amount, he said the proposed 2010 budget contains reductions in courthouse staffing of 2.5 FTEs, road and bridge staffing of 1.5 FTEs and public health and human services staffing of 4.8 FTEs, as well as delayed funding for an extra jail control position. He said seasonal hires for the courthouse and parks would also be eliminated. In all, Stafford said that brings the total positions eliminated for 2009 and 2010 to 12, primarily by not refilling vacated positions and the restructuring of departments to absorb those positions. In all, the county's staffing stands to be reduced to 288 by 2010.
ADVERTISEMENT
Also in line for elimination are the commissioners' $100,000 emergency reserve fund and future increases in courthouse travel budgets.
Stafford said funding for road and bridge equipment would be reduced by $125,000 in the proposed budget, and underutilized courthouse overtime budgets would also be slashed.
Significant expense increases in the proposed 2010 budget will be a health insurance rate increase of 7.5 percent, a PERA statutory increase from 6.75 to 7 percent, and a $170,000 required state grant match for a new courthouse elevator to comply with ADA requirements.
Stafford indicated there may also be some reconfiguration of past levies and the use of a special levy to help recover the county's 2008 and 2009 unallotments.
In all, the proposed 2010 budget predicts total expenses of $41,618,424, with total revenue predicted to be at $21,705,420. With an expected fund balance of $190,098, the levy to meet the 2010 budget would total $19,722,906.
"By all indications," said Brenner, "2011 will be far worse than 2010, and until then, we will be walking on eggshells. The only additional changes we will be able to make at that point all involve people - things like going to a four-day work week or requesting voluntary time off - which many other counties have already had to adopt."
Commissioners voted unanimously in support of the proposed budget and levy, which represents the maximum amount the county will be able to consider in its final budgeting process at the end of this year.
