Clark County Council budget situation dire

Discussion

September 11, 2012

Clark County Council budget situation dire

State’s decision to take drug funds leaves shortfall in courts

By MATT KOESTERS matt.koesters@newsandtribune.com The News and Tribune Tue Sep 11, 2012, 07:16 AM EDT

JEFFERSONVILLE — Expenses in county departments are well ahead of the growth number the county was given by the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, and the defunding of the Clark County Alcohol and Drug Services Fund has left an $887,000 gap in the courts’ budget.

Clark County Council Vice President Brian Lenfert painted a bleak picture as he previewed the county budget at the council’s regular meeting Monday.

Clark County department heads submitted $22 million in budgets to the council, and Lenfert said the budget will need to be pared down to $14.7 million, which is a 2.8 percent increase over last year’s budget of $14.5 million. But the lack of money from the CCADS fund means the county is really looking at a number closer to $13.8 million.

“Cutting that down will be even more challenging,” Lenfert said.

Lenfert said the county is doing everything it can to avoid mandate actions. But the county’s growth number from 2013 to 2014 will be 2.3 percent, and expenses continue to grow well past that rate, Council President Barb Hollis pointed out. Councilman Chuck Moore said the state is going to have to intervene, eventually.

Another problem for the council lies in the Clark County Commissioners’ decision to increase the rates on the county’s cumulative capital development and cumulative bridge funds. The DLGF initially denied the rate increases, citing lack of compliance with public notification requirements, but County Attorney Greg Fifer said the decision to deny the rate increases is expected to be reversed.

The commissioners increased the rate on the cumulative capital fund from 1.8 cents to 3.3 cents, while the cumulative bridge fund’s rate went from 0.8 cents to 5 cents. The county council can budget a lower rate, but the commissioners could reaffirm the rate and force it to stay at that number. Fifer said he did not know if there was a consensus among the commissioners as to what the final rate will be.

The county commissioners meet Thursday.

TORNADO RELIEF APPROPRIATIONS APPROVED

After the March 2 tornado that affected Henryville, Marysville and other parts of Clark County, the commissioners approved emergency funds for clean-up and debris removal. On Monday, the county council approved the emergency appropriations out of the county’s general fund to the tune of $1.91 million, with federal funds paying the rest, which totaled about $8 million.

Fifer told the council initial estimates from federal agencies put the original cost of cleaning up after the tornado in the neighborhood of $15 million, and called the fact that it only cost about half that “miraculous.”

COUNTY PONIES UP FOR PERF

Because Public Employee Retirement Fund benefits must be paid each paycheck starting in October, the county council approved appropriations for $167,474 to pay for the final three months of the calendar year for PERF for its employees.

Previously, PERF benefits were paid at the end of each quarter, and the last quarter of 2012 would have been paid at the beginning of 2013.

After making that payment, the county will have $127,000 left in its general fund, Lenfert said.