Praising cost-conscious elected officials and department heads, the Garland County Finance Committee made few adjustments to the preliminary 2016 General Fund budget it approved Wednesday.
The committee endorsed a $15,058,245 budget that would appropriate 83.11 percent of the $18,118,152 in anticipated 2016 General Fund revenue. It gave a do-pass recommendation last year to a preliminary 2015 budget with an 85.04-percent appropriation level. State law prevents funds other than grant funds from being appropriated beyond 90 percent of their anticipated revenue.
The county judge's office projects $14,229,559 in 2015 General Fund spending.
The committee approved an additional $33,253,206 in appropriations for the county's various restricted funds, which are limited to specific purposes, such as maintaining roads or the county landfill. General funds can be allocated more broadly.
The $48,311,451 in appropriations approved Wednesday account for 71.82 percent of the $67,266,072 in total county revenue projected for next year. Numerous capital outlays, items or projects exceeding $1,500, also garnered approval.
They include $9,000 for the Garland County Sheriff's Department to purchase a new K-9, and $138,612 for the sheriff's department to buy a three-quarter ton Ram Truck, two half-ton Ram Trucks and two Ford Explorer interceptors.
The detention center was appropriated $52,557 for a four-wheel drive interceptor and a pursuit sedan, and the road department was allotted $284,000 for two new dump trucks and $146,000 for a compactor-roller to aid road work.
Most of the budgets presented Wednesday were less than what was requested for the current year, leading to do-pass recommendations after only a brief review by the justices of the peace on the Finance Committee. The JPs said scrutiny given to previous budget proposals prompted department heads and elected officials to remove unnecessary items or expenses from their 2016 requests.
The county's information technology contract with the city's information systems department increased by $35,989, a result of the staff having to maintain more equipment after the detention center opened in June. The $219,000 approved Wednesday will pay for two county-assigned technicians and a portion of the salaries for other staffers who divide their time between the city and county.
"With the addition of a dozen new servers, 100-plus desktops, 100-plus mobile devices, 200-plus phone systems and the new jail, we have become behind in sharing the costs," an addendum to the budget proposal said. "The jail itself could easily justify the county hiring a third full-time technician."
The increase includes $12,000 for half the cost of a new van the county will split with the city. According to the addendum, the city's 2000 model has been having problems.
"For the first seven years of the contract the city has provided a van," the addendum said. "(It's) become less reliable, and with trips as far out as to the jail, Department of Emergency Management and the landfill, a second vehicle is needed to cover both organizations."
The Finance Committee said it will consider a 2- to 3-percent raise for all county employees at its November meeting. The Garland County Quorum Court approved a 3-percent cost-of-living adjustment last year for non law enforcement personnel.
Uniformed sheriff's office and detention center personnel received a one-time step increase of 2.5 percent of their 2014 salary applied for each year of service up to 10 years.
The final 2016 budget will be voted on at the Garland County Quorum Court's December meeting.
Local on 10/09/2015