Posted: 12/24/07
County approves $23.8 million budget, 15 percent levy increase
By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
The Houston County Board approved the 2008 budget at $23,835,828, which is $2,228,838, or 10.32 percent more than the 2007 budget. The board also approved the levy at $7,955,125, which is a 15 percent increase over the 2007 levy. The 2008 budget and levy were approved during the Dec. 18 county board meeting.
The proposed expenditures for the 2008 budget are $404,646 more than the anticipated revenues for 2008, which would have to be made up by the county dipping into the reserve fund.
Before the budget and levy were approved Commissioner Larry Connery said he was concerned with the $400,000 budget deficit. Connery made a motion to put a 90-day freeze on capital expenditures, projects, and new staffing.
Included in the list:
ïSurveyor's Department vehicle- $24,000;
ïThird vehicle for Sheriff's Department- $26,000;
ïCounty drug officer- $60,000;
ïNon-state aid highway projects- $350,000;
ïHRA programs & operations- $50,000.
Those five budget items totaled $510,900.
Connery felt the 90-day freeze would give the county a better handle on when and how much money that county would be receiving from the state and federal governments in the various emergency flood aid programs that have been approved for the county.
"We should have a lot better idea of just how much money we're going to be getting in the next three months," Connery said.
Commissioner Dave Corcoran seconded Connery's motion, which was unanimously approved by the county board.
Connery then made a motion to approve the 2008 budget and levy, which was seconded by Commissioner Larry Graf and unanimously approved.
Taking up the biggest portion of the 2008 budget is the road and bridge department at $9,873,646, which is 41 percent of the budget.
Human services is the second largest budget item, at $4,532,806.
Community health services is the third largest at $1,551,530, while the sheriff's department is fourth at $1,222,411. No other budget item exceeded the one million mark, although the jail's budget is close, at $935,784.
Caledonia Argus
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Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com