OCR Text |
Show 11 W'.; Ji'-x (::'A' Lincoln, N...L-. O&oC Grand CounSy finishes work on $18 million budget proposal A docision by County Commissioners Commis-sioners Monday to limit pay ruises for nil county elected officials and employees will suve the taxpayers ubout $20,000 in next year's proposed budget, should that budget bo adopted without chunge following the budget hearing Doc. 11. This action recinds a previous decision to increase salaries in the proposed budget for some elected officials, nearly double commissioner's commis-sioner's salaries, and allow county employees a 6 percent increase. Monday's vote will provide a 6 percent increase for elected officials offi-cials and county employees alike. A first glance comparison shows that the overall budget projected for 1979 is 14 percent lower than the current budget, however this does not take into account a one-time expenditure this year of about $400,000 in accumulated collector road funds. The 1978 estimate of expenditures expendi-tures is $2,065,207. The 1979 projection, which currently still includes the $20,000 in pay hikes and fringe benefits, is $1,780,657. If the collector road expenditure were subtracted from the 1978 budget, and the pay raises subtracted from the 1979 proposed budget, the new budget would be $5,000 under the 6 percent growth goal towards which the commission has been working. Even so, if adopted in substantially its present form, the new budget will require a raise in the mill levy from 13 to 15 mills next August. A major item accounting for this hike is $62,000 which has been included in the proposed budget for a fund to add on to the courthouse. Another major item is the $100,000 budgeted for the Spanish Valley Water and Sewer District, which will eventually be paid back to the county. There is also included in the budget a $45,000 increase to Allen Memorial Hospital, Hospi-tal, up from $163,000 to $208,000. The sheriff's budget, which is projected at $115,000 this year, will go up to $160,000 next, if adopted as is. This will provide for the hiring of 2 more deputies and the purchase of another vehicle, at $7,000. The budget also includes $8,000 for ambulance equipment. .Other equipment purchases included in-cluded in the budget are a 34 ton truck and a 2-ton truck for the county road department, for $48,000; and a computer for the hospital, at $45,000. These items will be paid through revenue sharing funds, as will a $20,000 addition to the county road building, and $40,000 for building a fire station in Spanish Valley. Draft copies of the proposed budget may be obtained at the county clerk's office, and interested citizens are urged to attend the budget hearing, which will be held at 7 p.m. Dec. 11 in the courthouse. |