The County Board Monday night placed a tentative budget on display for public review during a brief meeting.
County residents may see the budget at the Sheriff's Department any time before the Tuesday, Nov. 25 meeting, when a vote on final passage is expected.
The budget, which includes a $5.77 million appropriation from the General Fund and a $2.6 million tax levy, does not contain any big spending increases.
"It is virtually almost flat," Budget Committee Chairman told board members.
Revenue is expected to be around $5.78 million, so the proposed budget is balanced. The budget includes an abatement of one-third of the county's share of property taxes.
New proposed expenditures include salary increases that were negotiated with unions last year, three new vehicles for the Sheriff's Department, a third assistant state's attorney and a new employee in the Treasurer's office.
The three new vehicles will be purchased as part of an ongoing plan to replace the aging fleet gradually, Tolley said.
"We expect there to be less repair expenses because of that," Tolley said.
The line-item for "patrol car" is $60,000, less than the two previous years. In the last budget year, $89,840 was estimated as the line-item.
The line-item for assistant state's attorneys this year is $160,000; two years ago it was $89,000 and last year it was $120,000. The steady increases are expected to pay for another assistant state's attorney to be hired after Mike Henshaw takes office Dec. 1.
Treasurer Danny Ragan got a $21,600 increase in his line-item for office staff. He lost an employee years ago when the county was in a budget crunch. Tolley said the recent annual audit played a big role in hiring the additional Treasurer's office employee. Recent changes in accounting practices call for more segregation of duties for employees who handle money, Tolley said. With the small staff in the Treasurer's office, a person could be in the position of collecting a property tax payment at the counter, bundling the tax payment and then taking it to the bank. Another employee will improve internal control over money, Tolley said.
There hasn't been an actual problem, Tolley said, but the county should take seriously any strong recommendations made by auditors.
Revenue estimates for the coming year were conservative, Tolley said. For instance, the county has received $250,000 this year in payments for coal royalties, but the Budget Committee assumed this was not guaranteed income in the coming year. In past years, only $2,500 was budgeted for coal royalties. Anything above $2,500 will be a windfall, Tolley said.
