HOLLISTER
A county official expressed the latest news about the third-quarter status of the budget at this week’s board of supervisors meeting, while nothing there are more than 20 vacancies throughout all departments.
“I will say, voluntarily, the department heads have worked very closely with my office and as a result of that, I’ll be able to report to you some pretty positive news about our current expenditures,” said County Administrative Officer Susan Thompson.
During this current budget review process, the county is also reviewing vacant positions. The county has “about 22” right now, Thompson said, and will be looking to either eliminate some of those positions or shuffle those duties to other positions in a department.
As of March 31, when the third quarter of the fiscal year came to a close, the county had spent 66 percent of its projected expenditure budget.
“That’s a pretty significant underexpenditure rate,” she said.
As far as revenue, the general fund is at 54 percent of the budget. “We know that that 54 percent is going to be okay. We’re going to be very close to what we budgeted at year end.”
Thompson continued, “I can tell you on the aggregate, we’ve done very well and we’ve kept our revenue estimates well within our manageable and our receivables are coming in.”
However, the revenue numbers are not completely accurate now because some won’t come in until after the close of the fiscal year stemming from state actions.
The contingency fund balance is in “a very healthy situation right now,” Thompson said. By the end of the fiscal year, Thompson said she is estimating approximately $1.9 million in unspent operating appropriations. The county is expecting such a high number because of savings in salaries in benefits from vacant positions, and scrutinizing purchasing. Thompson said the county has worked to only purchase what it needs at the time it is needed. She used the example of buying paper at $35 a box, which is the lowest price available.
The county is in “full budget preparation mode right now,” Thompson said.
“The department heads and I have met, twice at a minimum, with each department. They have submitted their requests for a budget that we have been going through the process of reducing.”
Furthermore, the county has been scrutinizing revenue stream for the last month and a half and has implemented strict spending controls. Thompson said that everyone has been adhering to those controls.
General purpose revenues, which is made up of property tax and interest, is anticipated coming in $835,000 less than what was projected in the adjusted budget.
At the end of the year, Thompson said the general fund balance will be at $3.36 million.
“I think the news I need to tell you is that we’ve done a great job with what we had,” Thompson said. “I think it’s not going to save us from having to make some serious changes and reductions in our budget in the upcoming fiscal year but it certainly is a very responsible budget outcome as far as I’m concerned and I hope your board agrees.”
In summation, Thompson said that the county has managed to end the year well and in the black.
“I think our third quarter status is good. It actually has improved our position since mid-year somewhat.”
