The budget...almost there
By Debbie Lowe Staff writer

It is a widely-accepted fact that Carroll County is out of money for 2007. The reason there is no money is that it seems the county spent $2 million dollars more in 2006 than it received in revenue. The 2007 budget was based on the same flawed logic from which the 2006 budget was developed, and the outcome is expected to be somewhat similar at the end of 2007.

Published reports in the Comet indicated that as of Dec. 31, 2001, the general fund cash balance was $5,283,630.70. The general fund cash balance as of Dec. 31, 2006 was $524,364.64. According to the monthly financial report for Aug. 31, 2007, the general fund balance was - $1,027,328.

The county had several million dollars in reserve in the past to act as a cushion for overspending. That reserve is depleted. That safety net no longer exists for the county.

It was with this knowledge county council members began developing the 2008 budget. And it was with the knowledge that to correct the situation, they would have to significantly pare down department heads' spending requests for next year. Some of their decisions, although not absolutely final until today, Wednesday morning, startled and shocked department heads, employees and community members.

It has been well publicized the county museum's budget was put at zero. However, the same decision was made for the caretaker positions at Deer Creek Park and the county's animal control officer.

Most department heads appeared before the council Tuesday morning to ask questions, answer questions, clarify requests, make concessions in one line item of their budget for another line in their budgets and sometimes to offer understanding of the job council members are now facing.

Before they had the opportunity to speak, council president Rob Baker addressed the audience.

"I welcome the department heads here today," he said. "We want to thank you for working with us."

He also issued a message from the council and from the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance. He said the DLGF requested that county spending be curtailed for the remainder of the year.

"Even if you have money in your budgets," he said, "the DLGF said to not spend it."

Council member Steve Ashby announced as of Aug. 31, 2007, the county has spent approximately $1,027,000 more than income received.

"We're all going to have to work together," he said. "We're off track. I wore a red shirt today because the county is in the red."

Carroll County Park Board President Bob Burton wanted an explanation of what he was supposed to do with Deer Creek Park.

"Want versus need comes to the forefront," council member Jerry Hendress said. "The park is not being utilized. There is not enough revenue generated to keep the place open. The county cannot afford to spend that kind of money."

Museum director Phyllis Moore argued to reinstate funding for the museum housed on the bottom floor of the courthouse.

"I feel like it should be kept open constantly - the same hours as the courthouse," she said.

"We aren't going to close the door," Ashby said. "We're paying for heat and lights down there."

"Nobody wants to close anything," he continued. "But we continue to deficit spend from our receipts. The only way we can get out of this hole is by making disbursements equal income. We can't continue to do this."

"You have a resource for funding with donations," council member Ann Brown told Moore.

"It seems like people think the only funding source is the county, which is not true," council member Nancy R. Cripe said.

Emergency Medical Services Director Mike Durr was strongly encouraged to make collections a top priority and keep it a top priority.

"The only way this budget will fly is if the receipts increase," Ashby said.

Carroll Manor Director Martha Lewis was likewise encouraged to increase that facility's rates as soon as possible to help offset the deficit spending trend.

Generally speaking, departments with the largest budgets lost the most when deletions were made. The sheriff's department was one of those departments. Sheriff Tony Burns said he understood the need to spend less, although his budget for new squad cars was put at zero as was animal control and the line item for food and veterinary services for both K-9 units.

Burns volunteered to head a committee to pull all departments together to purchase office and janitorial supplies in bulk to save the county money.

However, Burns issued a request to council members about additional budget reductions should they become necessary.

"If further budget reductions are necessary, I strongly urge our county leaders, council members and commissioners, to sacrifice county-funded health benefits before any further county employees are let go," he read from a prepared statement.

The budget is scheduled for formal adoption at 8 a.m. today, Wednesday. It will then be sent to the DLGF for approval. Failure to receive approval would mean further reductions would have to be made to more closely align with income.