County budget ready for public hearings

With a projected shortfall of $200,000, Whitman County’s 2013 budget will be put before the public at a 6 p.m. hearing next Monday, Dec. 3.

Initial requests from department managers had spending in the $55 million plan out-pacing revenues by $833,000. Negotiations with the heads of departments in the current expense budget, a surplus prediction for the end of 2012 and rosier revenue projections cut that to the $200,000 figure.

County Administrator Gary Petrovich briefed commissioners on the budget last week.

“We’re making good headway,” said Petrovich. “I feel like we’ll be able to get to a balanced budget by the end of the month.”

Biggest factor in balancing the 2013 spending plan may be 2012.

Petrovich reported 2012 revenues were ahead of predictions at $11.35 million, while spending of $10.32 million is behind expectations. Year-end revenues of about $12.65 million will exceed year-end revenues by about $200,000, he added. That money could be used to balance a 2013 shortfall.

The $12.65 million revenue projection is well below the $14.2 million budgeted revenue total from the start of the year. Most of the spending is on employees. Wages and benefits have accounted for almost two-thirds of year-to-date expenditures.

Treasurer Bob Lothspeich also revised his 2013 funding projections upward by around $100,000. Petrovich added he and David Ledbetter, Jr., financial specialist, have worked with department heads to cut six-figures from the spending column.

Sheriff Brett Myers earlier reduced his 2013 budget proposal by $67,000, about the cost of a requested road deputy position that will not be filled.

The 2013 plan also include two percent raises in the salaries of non-union employees, with the expectation that a raise may be negotiated with unions next year, said Petrovich. The non-union raise will cost the current expense fund $70,000.

Elected officials were given raises by the citizen salary commission last spring. Those raises for next year range from eight to 10 percent, increases that will cost the county $46,560.

The hearing Monday will be in the commissioners’ meeting room on the first floor of the courthouse. Commissioners will hold a second hearing on the 2013 budget at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 17. The budget must be adopted by the end of this year.