LAKEPORT >> The Lake County Board of Supervisors (BOS) held a public hearing regarding the 2014/15 fiscal budget Wednesday.
On the plus side, Lake County Administrative Officer Matt Perry said “the budget allows departments to maintain existing service levels and will enable to county to continue investing in significant projects and programs to improve the quality of life.”
The near status quo approval, however, does not mean county officials are secure.
“Department heads and employees will have to continue to closely monitor their expenditures,” Perry observed.
In August, the BOS held a budget workshop after a potential $1.8 million shortfall in the general fund was found.
To address the shortfall, Perry recommended the use of one-time money to preserve service levels and staffing.
Using one-time money presents some risks, Perry said. However, “property tax is expected to recover in the next year or two,” which would cover the use of one-time money.
Perry recommended continuing a hiring freeze “to preserve ? any changes in a specific department”s fiscal situation, as well as the overall general fund financial condition.”
Of the 141 budget units reviewed by the board, only two were not unanimously approved, with District 4 Supervisor Anthony Farrington being the dissenting vote in each case.
One budget unit Farrington dissented to was the library”s, which led to momentary debate. The facility proposed to use $50,000 of its reserve funds to maintain hours of operation. The library”s reserves total approximately $150,000.
“It”s not sustainable,” Lake County Library Director Christopher Veach said.
Farrington also dissented to using approximately $28,000 in one-time money to fund a three-quarter time assistant museum curator. In each instance, his stated concern involved the use of funds over the option of cutting hours. And in each case he eventually acquiesced.
The county general fund totals approximately $54.8 million, of which 59 percent comes from taxes and 22 percent comes for the state. Other charges contribute 10 percent to the general fund, 5 percent comes from other government funds and 1 percent is from miscellaneous funds. Interest and rent, fines and penalties, licenses and permits, as well as federal funds each contribute 2 percent to the general fund.
Salaries and benefits account for 64 percent of the general fund”s use, while services and supplies account for 26 percent. Other charges account for 4 percent of the general fund”s use. Capital improvement programs and fixed assets each account for 3 percent.
Capital projects in the budget include renovation of Gard Street School in Kelseyville for Child Support Services offices; developments at Hammond Park and Holiday Harbor, as well as the proposed Kesleyville skate park and infrastructure improvements at the Lampson Field Airport.
Renovations and the expansion of the South County Behavioral Health building and design of the expansion project, as well as other modifications, at the Hill Road Correctional Facility are also included.
Furthermore, $11.6 million will be used for road and sidewalk projects, as well as 22 bridges throughout the county. More than $2.3 million will be used for water systems, including the development of a community water system in the S. Main Street and Soda Bay Road area in Lakeport.
County funds total a little more than $188 million, of which 19 percent comes from taxes; 42 percent comes from the state and 17 percent are federal funds. The remaining funds come from licenses and permits, fines and penalties, interest and rent, operating transfers, other government funding and miscellaneous funding sources.
Total funds are used primarily for salaries and benefits, which account for 39 percent of the pie, as well as services and supplies, which account for 33 percent.
As for use of total funds by category, 23 percent of all funds are used for social services, 22 percent is used for criminal justice and 13 percent is used for roads, the airport and water resources. Water, sewer and lighting accounts for 9 percent, community and economic development uses 6 percent of total funds, 5 percent is allocated for general government uses and 3 percent is used for insurance.
Solid waste, general fund contingencies, miscellaneous services, as well as education and recreation, account for 2 percent of total fund uses.
“I think this is one of the toughest budgets we have seen,” District 3 Supervisor Denise Rushing said. “I don”t think we could have done it without teamwork.”
Contact J. W. Burch, IV at 900-2022.
