Logan County Board approves 2020-21 Budget for display

 

[November 06, 2020] 

At the Regular Logan County Board meeting on Tuesday, October 20th, the board voted to put the Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget on display with several amendments.

Board members present were David Blankenship, Emily Davenport, Janet Estill, Bob Farmer, Cameron Halpin, David Hepler, Steve Jenness, Bob Sanders, Scott Schaffenacker, Annette Welch and Jim Wessbecher.

Monday, September 28, the board held a special Finance Committee Meeting where they discussed cost saving measures.

In the budget initially proposed, Finance Committee Chairman David Hepler said there was about $800,000 in expense requests over revenues.

At that meeting, Board Chairman Emily Davenport identified several areas where she felt there could be cost savings. Davenport went through the various departments and looked at what they are actually paying in salaries versus what is budgeted. She said some departments have some cushion in their budgets.

By reducing 22 line items from various departments, Davenport came up with cuts that would save the county $190,987. These proposed amendments were brought forward at the Board Workshop on Thursday, October 15th. The decreases were mainly from line items for extra help, maintenance and overtime.

Based on several department requests, Board Vice Chairman Scott Schaffenacker made a motion at the Regular Board meeting to amend seven line items in the list proposed by Davenport. These amendments would have increased the line items closer to what they originally were. With the increases Schaffenacker suggested, he said the savings would still be $175,737.

While supporting Schaffenacker’s amendments in principle, Hepler wanted to make sure the revenue is there. Hepler would rather see the amendments made in November once the budget comes off display.

Hepler asked Logan County Treasurer Penny Thomas whether the budget has the revenue to support these and other amendments coming forward.

Department heads have told Thomas they will turn $350,000 back in. Additionally, Thomas said she estimates the county should be getting a $250,000 reimbursement from the CURES act. The county could get up to $400,000 from the reimbursement, but Thomas said she is not counting on that. With the other two amounts, Thomas said it will add up to $600,000. That will put the budget close to even and give some leeway.

Though Thomas said to say for sure these amounts will come in from department heads and the CURES Act is out of her control, they are about 95 percent guaranteed.

When the department heads are giving back money as the board is trying to find money, Davenport said we do not need to be picking and choosing where to cut.

Schaffenacker’s amendment for increases failed 9-2 with only Schaffenacker and Welch voting yes.

Hepler’s original main motion as amended passed unanimously.

The rollover figure from the 2019 audit would also be added to 2021 budget.

The Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget then put on display for 30 days.

Other action items:

Other Finance Committee motions approved included:

- a resolution to support the Workcamp for Lincoln. They will also give the Workcamp $3,500 in financial support, which will come from the Cannabis Use Tax.

- Expending funds for Economic Development purposes only. Thomas said they need to expend the funds from a different line item than proposed and will provide that later.

- To add $10,000 to Safety Warehouse budget line. The warehouse will be used by more than one group. There was discussion about splitting up the funds at a special meeting on October 6.

Thomas said it would be helpful to split the costs between the Sheriff’s Department, the Coroner’s Department and the Emergency Management Agency.

- An intergovernmental agreement with the Regional Office of Education.

- Several tax sales.

Other Committee updates:

The board unanimously approved a motion from Executive and Personnel Committee Chairman Scott Schaffenacker for the 2021 legal holiday calendar.

The board also unanimously approved a motion from Insurance, Legislative and Liquor Chairman Annette Welch for the Chairman to sign the Cyber application for renewal. This is an insurance.

The next Logan County Board Regular meeting will be held Tuesday, November 24th at 6 p.m. on the second floor the Orr Building across from the Logan County Courthouse. The Board Workshop has been moved to Thursday, November 19. Both meetings have been moved forward a week so the budget will be on display 30 days before the board votes on it.

[Angela Reiners]