Proposed county budget published today

Friday, September 4, 2015

Bourbon County residents can now get a glimpse of the proposed 2016 budget, as the final draft was submitted for publication in today's Tribune.

The 2016 proposed budget has a mill levy of 63.641, which is a .662 mill increase from the 2015 mill levy of 62.979.

Key to the new budget is an increase for employee benefits. Health insurance increased $100,000 from the 2014 actual to the estimate in 2015. The county has been notified that health insurance premiums will increase an additional 6 percent -- $60,000 -- in 2016, according to Terry Sercer, CPA with Diehl, Banwart and Bolton of Fort Scott.

Total employee benefit expenses increased more than $180,000 from 2014 actual to the 2015 estimated figure. The total employee benefits is expected to increase by $130,000 in 2016 compared to 2015, Sercer said.

Commissioners had considered raises, but in the end decided the only wage increase would be the additional money the county will have to pay for employee benefits.

Department heads were asked if they were able to cut their 2015 budget by 2 percent. Commission Chair Barbara Albright said the request was so commissioners could have a better idea of what would be remaining by Dec. 31, the end of the fiscal year.

Some department heads complied with the request and others did not. Sheriff Bill Martin did not answer directly, but stated he would "pledge" to do his best to keep his expenses down for the remainder of 2015.

Department heads who committed to keep spending down by 2 percent were given half of that amount back in the 2016 budget, Albright said.

The county's three largest departments -- roads and bridges, sheriff and the Southeast Kansas Regional Correctional Center -- were handled differently.

Martin and SEKRCC Jail Administrator Bobby Reed submitted three optional budget requests, ranging from a 10 percent to 15 percent wage increase for their employees. Not including the requested raises, Martin's budget request totaled $769,000 and Reed's totaled $1,082,000.

The sheriff's office is expected to end the 2015 fiscal year with $540,000. For 2016, commissioners set the sheriff's budget total at $583,000.

The SEKRCC is expected to end the 2015 fiscal year with a total budget of $770,00. In 2016, the SEKRCC budget total is set at $885,462.

Commissioners subtracted $309,460 from the requested amount for the roads and bridges fund, which leaves Public Works Director Jim Harris with the spending authority of $2,072,317 for 2016.

In addition to asking for a wage increase for their employees, some department heads also requested additional staff. Martin is waiting to hear whether the county will receive a Community Oriented Policing Service grant through the U.S. Department of Justice to hire an additional deputy. He had requested three additional new deputies in 2016.

Commissioners said Tuesday some employees who retire or quit may not be replaced, depending on their position. Public works will not replace an employee who is transferring to the treasurer's office, commissioners and Harris said.

A public hearing to discuss the proposed budget will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15.

Roads issues

Harris and commissioners discussed the need to remove the asphalt from 230th Street from Jayhawk Road to Kansas Road. Albright said the base is failing on that portion of the road.

Harris said the best time to mill the road is now so the road base can settle during the winter and be ready for new asphalt in the spring.

There is also two miles on Soldier Road that needs to be milled, Harris said.

Third District Commissioner Harold Coleman said there are seven miles on Soldier that need to be reworked.

Albright suggested they look at the hard-surface road plan soon.

The county has done six miles of asphalt and 10 miles of chip-and-seal this year, and also has milled some roads. Harris said he recommends doing more chip-and-seal work in 2016.

"We started with less revenue because we didn't have much revenue," Harris said.

"We've done everything we had budgeted this year," Albright said.

Along with the need to continue roadwork, Harris said his department has continuing equipment needs.