New World figures show previously untold fund drop

For the first time in years, Whitman County actually knows how much money it has in the bank, and where its budget plan stands.

Maybe that isn’t such a good thing.

With its first report, produced by the six-year-old New World accounting software which has cost almost a million dollars to get running, county officials saw a budget deficit that is $200,000 over earlier predictions and a treasury which is down almost $1.5 million from last year at this time.

“It’s unfortunate what it says, but it’s good to know finally where we are,” said County Commissioner Greg Partch.

Gary Petrovich, director...