Each year at this time, the Carroll County Council gathers all county government department budget requests and begins to develop the next year’s county spending plan. Proposed budgets for the general fund, as well as restricted funds which several departments manage, are presented to begin the process. As the council considers the needs of each department, compared to the anticipated income for the next year, they devote two days to listen to department heads justify their spending plans. This process began Tuesday morning in Carroll County.

County general fund requests for 2011 overall are $381,467 less than the $5,942,504 appropriated in 2010.

Departments that presented proposed budgets to the council Tuesday included the transfer station, soil and water, health department, county clerk, assessor, emergency management agency, sheriff, the courts, prosecutor, extension office, treasurer, Carroll Manor, park board, veteran’s office and the ambulance service.

Some departments utilize both the general fund and restricted fund accounts. Those budget requests were presented in tandem with general fund requests. For instance, county assessor Doris McLeland and clerk Nancy Mattox, who presented budget requests Tuesday, manage general and restricted fund accounts.

Mattox explained that the election board request from the general fund was $33,330 less than the 2011 appropriation due to the upcoming city’s and towns’ election, which will cost less than a county-wide general election. Fewer polling places, workers, ballots, etc. will be needed for the 2011 election activities.

Mattox’s general fund request for the clerk’s office increased $19,416 from the 2010 appropriation, which includes the addition of a parttime clerical person to help with filing and other general office duties. She increased the restricted perpetuation fund request by $1,885.

McLeland, who will leave the elected post at the end of the year, requested a $4,134 increase from the general fund for the office budget due to a five percent raise in- cluded in the salaries for the assessor and first and second deputies in the office. She reduced the reassessment fund budget, a restricted account, and created a sales disclosure fund for 2011 for which she requested $12,056.

In contrast to most department budgets, the county commissioners budget request is $336,278 less than their 2010 appropriation. Line item amounts reduced included the funds needed for the cost of keeping juveniles, building structure liability insurance, equipment contracts, burial of soldiers, Carroll Manor seed money and funds for a loan repayment.

The council will continue budget hearings on Thursday beginning at 10:30 a.m. The auditor, area plan, recorder, custodians, surveyor, E-911, coroner, commissioners, drainage board and the highway department will present budget requests.

The council will meet with all taxing entities beginning at 8:30 the same morning to provide non-binding recommendations for their consideration when developing their 2011 budgets. It was noted that it is important for the townships and other taxing entities to understand that their tax rates affect the total county tax rate.

Both Thursday meetings will be held in the commissioners meeting room on the second floor of the courthouse and are open to the public.