County slates budget change, sets 2018 budget dates

Whitman County commissioners Monday approved a notice of the first budget amendment for 2017 and also approved the calendar for the 2018 budget.

The first budget amendment will be heard by the commissioners in their chambers at the courthouse on Monday, June 19, at 10:30 a.m. The commissioners Monday stated the details of the amendment are still being worked out.

The proposed amendment will bring the total budget to $64,800,000. When the county budget was passed in December, it stood at $64,734,000, meaning the amendment will add $66,000. Budget amendments can be for increases or decreases.

The amended budget will be available for review starting on June 16 by calling 509-397-5240.

The commissioners also approved the budget calendar for 2018, setting a goal to have the final 2018 budget forwarded to the state auditor by Oct. 16. The commissioners would adopt the budget on the same day.

The calendar includes having the auditor call for preliminary budget estimates from department heads by July 10. The preliminary budgets must be filed with the auditor by Aug. 14.

Once the preliminary department budgets are submitted to County Auditor Eunice Coker, the calendar has her compiling the overall preliminary budget between Aug. 15 and Sept. 4.

Budget reviews with individual department heads and elected officials are slated for Sept. 6-7 and Sept. 13-14.

The budget is scheduled to be available for public viewing by Oct. 2, and the first budget hearing is also scheduled for that date. The final hearing is slated for Oct. 16 with alternate dates in December, if needed.