County tax rate to rise

Deficit shrinks, budget talks continue

Navarro County Commissioners went into Monday’s budget session needing nearly $2 million in cuts or revenue increases to balance their new budget.

Monday, the gap narrowed to around $623,000, with a combination of budget cuts and a tax rate increase of about 4.42 cents per $100 valuation.

The budget is yet to be finalized, but the court voted to set the new county tax rate at 62.70 per $100 assessed valuation, up from the current year’s rate of 58.28 cents. The added general fund revenue from the tax increase — $721,000 — combined with about $621,000 in cuts identified by office holders still leaves the county spending more than it will make in the 2009-2010 budget year.

Among cuts identified Friday were reductions in the District Court budget of $15,000 less in the budget for juries, and $150,000 less for court appointed attorneys. Budget amounts from the current budget were carried forward for the court in the new spending plan, based on estimates of expenses from three capital murder trials the county was facing last budget year. At present, no such expenditures are looming for the court it the coming year.

Other cuts made included several planned capital expenditures — two sheriff’s department vehicles, a new video server for the jail, and a new audio/video court recorder system for the county court, a truck for the Precinct 1 barn, a new roof on the Justice Center, and various cuts in small equipment, part-time personnel and office supply budgets.

A letter sent to office holders Friday, drafted by County Judge H.M. Davenport and submitted on behalf of the commissioners court, asked office holders to consider all possible cuts — including personnel — for Monday’s budget talks. No cuts in personnel were submitted by office holders, although at least one office holder did withdraw a request for an employee reclassification and pay raise.

Another concern in the budget process is the ending fund balance in the county’s general fund, now projected at about $2 million in the revised preliminary budget. Kathy Hollomon, county auditor, presented commissioners with a look at spending and revenues in the county’s fiscal-year first quarter, October through December. Hollomon’s figures showed expenses during the first three months of the budget year ran about $3.6 million, while revenues for the same period were at $2.4 million — a shortfall of almost $1.2 million. An adequate fund balance from the previous year is the “pad” needed to get the county through that first fiscal quarter until tax revenues pick up during December and January, she explained.

“We’ll be OK this year, “ Hollomon said, but cautioned commissioners against passing a budget without an adequate reserve in the fund balance. “To do so would be very risky,” Hollomon said. The projected ending balance in the general fund in the preliminary budget is now at $1,983,000 after Monday’s budget cuts and tax rate decision.

Monday’s session also included discussions about the county’s payment to the city for library, animal control and fire department services. The city requested a $10,000 increase in each of those contributions this year, up from $25,000 each in previous years. The increase requests are not funded by the preliminary county budget. Holt also questioned the $350,000 ambulance subsidy, and asked about a March report that indicated the service would be making money this year, eliminating the need for the subsidy. City officials have said the service is still running at a deficit this year, and asked the county to continue the subsidy payment.

Pct. 1 commissioner Kit Herrington called the $350,000 payment “a bargain,” saying the county couldn’t provide the same level of service at the same cost.

Pct. 4 commissioner James Olsen called on the court to consider a $50 per month increase in the amount paid by the county to local volunteer fire departments — up from the $150 the county pays now, but less than the $200 per month increase requested by the departments both last year and this year. Increasing the payment by $50 per month would cost the county $45,000 annually, Hollomon said.

Pct. 4 Justice of the Peace Connie Mayfield asked to look into possible cuts in the constable budget, and consider making at least one of the positions part-time with no benefits — that of Pct. 3 constable Brad Butler. Mayfield said Butler was not performing the mandated duties of serving as court bailiff and serving warrants.

“It’s not fair to pay someone you’ve never laid eyes on,” Mayfield said. “He gets longevity, he gets all the benefits, and he’s never, ever ... nobody’s laid eyes on him.”

“He could walk in here right now and I would not know him,” said Pct. 2 JP Kirby Hill. “Never has he graced those doors in the three years I’ve been in office.”

Butler, contacted by phone Monday night, said he felt he was performing his duties by having “Bubba” Jones, who he identified as his “deputy,” serve as court bailiff.

“I haven’t been given any papers to serve,” Butler said in response to a question about serving warrants. Butler said he had no comment on the remarks by Hill and Mayfield.

Mayfield said that Jones does serve in the courtroom as a bailiff, but that the county pays him separately.

All four constable positions receive full benefits. Butler’s position is budgeted at $7.088 in salary, $1,000 in longevity pay, and $7,613 in benefits. The three other county constables — Tommy Grant of Pct. 1, David Foreman of Pct. 2 and Mike Davis of Pct. 4 — had previously asked for pay increases in earlier budget talks. Grant requested a salary of $36,000 annually, while Foreman and Davis each requested a salary of $30,000 — up from a budgeted salary of $12,651.

“I don’t expect you all to do this today, but it really needs to be looked at,” Mayfield said.

Additional cuts or budget adjustments can be made before the final plan is approved, although the tax rate approved Monday is set.

Commissioners will meet again at 1 p.m. Monday for further consideration of the budget, which goes into effect Oct. 1. A 10 a.m. agenda meeting to discuss two non-budget related items is also set for Tuesday.

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Bob Belcher may be reached by e-mail at belcher@corsicanadailysun.com. Want to “Soundoff” on this story? E-mail: soundoff@corsicanadailysun.com

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