July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Cuts made on county budget
Jay County Council
In the first night of county budget hearings, the Jay County Council made some major progress toward cutting its goal of $500,000 by ripping out budgeted money for the jail expansion.
"The fun begins folks," said council president Gerald Kirby as the meeting got underway.
The council sorted through about 30 departmental budgets Tuesday, trying to pinpoint areas to cut a half-million dollars out of the presented $6.67 million general fund requests.
The council made good progress in their first night, mostly by slicing back the budgets for the Jay County Sheriff's Department and Jay County Jail.
Sheriff Ray Newton told the council that he had put in funds to accommodate the opening of the Jay County Jail expansion, which should be completed near the end of 2010. Newton had budgeted money to hire new employees and handle the increased inmate load he anticipates once the facility is open.
But Newton, recognizing the county's struggle to keep the budget lean, said that if they wanted to cut that money out now they could and he would come speak with them around March about getting those funds added back in when he knew more about the jail expansion's progress.
"You're saying what I wanted so desperately to hear," Kirby said in relief.
The council immediately was able to remove about $145,000 in jail-related expenses by cutting back increased salaries for secretaries and assistants, removing salaries for the additional six jailers that will be needed, cutting back the inmate meals budget to its 2009 figure and trimming back utility expenses to the 2009 value.
"I approve of you helping us work some of this out," Kirby told Newton.
The council also spoke with several departments, standing by its assertion last week that they would freeze salaries and likely remove all 400-level accounts, which are used for purchasing new equipment.
If the county removed all of those 400-level accounts, it would free up about another $150,000.
The council spent a fair amount of time reviewing the Jay County Commissioners' budget, which is nearly $2 million, but couldn't find much fat in it.
Councilman Gary Theurer, a former commissioner, looked at several accounts as possible cutbacks, but would only be able to slice about $20,000, 1 percent of the commissioners' total budget. To get that $20,000, the commissioners would be operating on half of its budget for septic system loan assistance, which would allow them to loan for only one installation, and would remove the commissioners' miscellaneous fund, which county auditor Nancy Culy said is used to pay for things that pop up like contractual fees.
"We run a tight ship," said commissioner Milo Miller Jr.
The commissioners' budget does include funding local organizations including the John Jay Center for Learning, Arts in the Park, the Jay County Chamber of Commerce, the Jay County Historical Society, the Museum of the Soldier and the Jay/Randolph Developmental Center. Those funds account for about $75,000.
"That's the first thing you've got to do away with," Miller said.
The council, however, was hesitant to start hacking through those support funds. Kirby said he was some conflicted because all of those groups "have value" for the community. For now, those funds were left alone.
The council is also stuck with one budget that increased more than $90,000 - the county election board - since 2010 is an election year, while 2009 was not and had all of its funds drained.
The council asked Culy to give them an indication of where they are at tonight's meeting so they know how much more they will need to trim. Culy added up this morning all the cuts made Tuesday, including all 400-level accounts, and came to a total of TOTAL DOLLARS.
Tonight, the council will face the issue of where to make up the gap to their $500,000 goal, since most of the remaining budgets have little room to make slashes. Councilwoman Marilyn Coleman suggested last week that may include paring back the commissioners' support to local groups as well as looking at making percentile cuts from each department's office supplies and maintenance funds.[[In-content Ad]]
"The fun begins folks," said council president Gerald Kirby as the meeting got underway.
The council sorted through about 30 departmental budgets Tuesday, trying to pinpoint areas to cut a half-million dollars out of the presented $6.67 million general fund requests.
The council made good progress in their first night, mostly by slicing back the budgets for the Jay County Sheriff's Department and Jay County Jail.
Sheriff Ray Newton told the council that he had put in funds to accommodate the opening of the Jay County Jail expansion, which should be completed near the end of 2010. Newton had budgeted money to hire new employees and handle the increased inmate load he anticipates once the facility is open.
But Newton, recognizing the county's struggle to keep the budget lean, said that if they wanted to cut that money out now they could and he would come speak with them around March about getting those funds added back in when he knew more about the jail expansion's progress.
"You're saying what I wanted so desperately to hear," Kirby said in relief.
The council immediately was able to remove about $145,000 in jail-related expenses by cutting back increased salaries for secretaries and assistants, removing salaries for the additional six jailers that will be needed, cutting back the inmate meals budget to its 2009 figure and trimming back utility expenses to the 2009 value.
"I approve of you helping us work some of this out," Kirby told Newton.
The council also spoke with several departments, standing by its assertion last week that they would freeze salaries and likely remove all 400-level accounts, which are used for purchasing new equipment.
If the county removed all of those 400-level accounts, it would free up about another $150,000.
The council spent a fair amount of time reviewing the Jay County Commissioners' budget, which is nearly $2 million, but couldn't find much fat in it.
Councilman Gary Theurer, a former commissioner, looked at several accounts as possible cutbacks, but would only be able to slice about $20,000, 1 percent of the commissioners' total budget. To get that $20,000, the commissioners would be operating on half of its budget for septic system loan assistance, which would allow them to loan for only one installation, and would remove the commissioners' miscellaneous fund, which county auditor Nancy Culy said is used to pay for things that pop up like contractual fees.
"We run a tight ship," said commissioner Milo Miller Jr.
The commissioners' budget does include funding local organizations including the John Jay Center for Learning, Arts in the Park, the Jay County Chamber of Commerce, the Jay County Historical Society, the Museum of the Soldier and the Jay/Randolph Developmental Center. Those funds account for about $75,000.
"That's the first thing you've got to do away with," Miller said.
The council, however, was hesitant to start hacking through those support funds. Kirby said he was some conflicted because all of those groups "have value" for the community. For now, those funds were left alone.
The council is also stuck with one budget that increased more than $90,000 - the county election board - since 2010 is an election year, while 2009 was not and had all of its funds drained.
The council asked Culy to give them an indication of where they are at tonight's meeting so they know how much more they will need to trim. Culy added up this morning all the cuts made Tuesday, including all 400-level accounts, and came to a total of TOTAL DOLLARS.
Tonight, the council will face the issue of where to make up the gap to their $500,000 goal, since most of the remaining budgets have little room to make slashes. Councilwoman Marilyn Coleman suggested last week that may include paring back the commissioners' support to local groups as well as looking at making percentile cuts from each department's office supplies and maintenance funds.[[In-content Ad]]
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