By Christopher Waltz, Record Editor
A slimmed down spending plan for the 2013 fiscal year was adopted by the Warren County Commission last Thursday following a public hearing attended by county officials, employees and citizens. Several questions were raised during the hearing by county workers regarding salaries and vacation benefits. The current fiscal year budget, which was unanimously approved by the county commission, calls for $13,761,158 in total expenditures. That is more than $2.6 million lower than the previous year’s spending plan. The decrease is due, in part, to a willingness by county departments to cut spending and because the county administration building project is complete, County Clerk Barb Daly noted in her annual budget message. Presiding Commissioner Arden Engelage echoed that statement, noting that many of the county’s elected officials “stepped forward” and reduced the budgets for their departments, which freed up money to cover anticipated shortfalls in other areas of the budget. The county is anticipating sales tax revenues of $1,275,000 each for the general fund, the law enforcement trust fund and the capital improvements fund. The county’s proposed tax rate for the general revenue fund is 12.44 cents per $100 assessed valuation.The proposed tax rate for the special road and bridge fund is 17.51 cents per $100 assessed valuation. County employees are not receiving pay raises this year. However, the county is continuing to pay 100 percent of the premiums for employees who are enrolled in the county’s health care plan. There is approximately $3.7 million allocated in the road and bridge fund which will fund design and construction of a new bridge on Power Line Road and an overlay of an additional three miles of county roads. During the hearing, commissioners noted that the debt related to the construction of the administration building and the renovation project at the county courthouse both are retired. The geothermal heating and cooling system for the administration building will be paid off this year, as well as improvements to the roof and the system which controls heating and cooling at the courthouse. Northern Commissioner Dan Hampson stated that the investments made to the indoor comfort systems at both buildings was “money very well spent,” noting that the county’s utility bills for heating and cooling have been substantially reduced. Lt. Greg Hilke, of the Warren County Sheriff’s Department, asked county commissioners to consider amending the county’s vacation policy considering that employees have only received one pay raise over the past five years. Hilke suggested the county give employees one week of vacation after one year of employment, two weeks after two years, three weeks after five years and four weeks after 10 or 15 years of employment. He asserted that the county would not incur any additional costs under the plan, adding that it would demonstrate appreciation to employees who have remained with the county. “I wish you would consider that and implement it, if possible,” Hilke remarked. The commissioners indicated that the plan would be studied in the future. Another employee asked how much money the county is saving by having employees clean their work spaces. Southern Commissioner Hubie Kluesner pointed out that unless the county were to seek bids for cleaning services of the entire administration building, it would be impossible to determine the cost savings. Following is a list of the various funds and the amount allocated to each fund for 2013:General Revenue Fund — $4,487,603;Special Road and Bridge Fund — $3,732,369;Assessment Fund — $577,529;Law Enforcement — $3,065,915;Officers Training Fund — $9,600;Prosecuting Attorney Training Fund — $12,500;Capital Improvement Fund — $472,130;Delinquent Tax Fund — $10,000;Bad Check Fund — $40,970;Recorder User Fund — $102,500;Health Reimbursement Fund — $156.658;Sheriff’s Civil Fees Fund — $56,800;Road and Bridge Capital Fund — $560,000;Prosecuting Attorney Forfeiture Fund — $2,500;Election Services Fund — $27,000;Recorder Tech Fund — $35,200;Sheriff’s Forfeiture Fund — $4;Tax Maintenance Fund — $205,000;Sheriff’s Revolving Fund — $77,650;County Clerk HAVA Fund — $10,432;Federal Grant Fund — $84,263;Local Emergency Planning Committee Fund — $12,385;D.A.R.E. Fund — $2,000;Vending Fund — None; andInmate Security Fund — $20,150.
