County commission slices $300,000 from proposed budget
By GAYLE WEBER
The 2009 Ellis County budget could be decreasing more than originally expected.
On Monday, Ellis County Commissioners proposed cutting more than $300,000 from their $20.6 million budget in order to reduce the levy by a mill.
The most significant reduction came in the sheriff's department proposed budget, from which commissioners cut $113,000.
Chairman Dennis Pfannenstiel proposed cutting the two additional jailers Sheriff Ed Harbin wanted to hire next year as well as about $50,000 from the contractual services fund. Harbin had requested an additional $120,000 for the item in order to pay for housing inmates out-of-county.
Commissioners also proposed cutting $16,000 each from rural fire and emergency management departments for a position the departments would have shared.
"We really don't know what the new emergency manager's thinking is," Commissioner Vernon Berens said.
Emergency Management Director Addie Homburg resigned in July and a replacement has not yet been hired, so commissioners decided to delay funding the position that would have assisted both departments.
Commissioners proposed transferring $150,000 from their capital improvement fund to the solid waste fund in order to cover an increasing deficit. They also said they would discuss landfill rate increases in the future.
Pfannenstiel said he wanted to cut another $50,000 from the capital improvement fund to bring it back down to the $400,000 level of a year ago.
Commissioners also decided to follow the suggestion of auditor Ken Beran and reduce the budgeted amount for Social Security taxes and the Kansas Public Employee Retirement System by $50,000 each.
In outside agency requests, commissioners proposed cutting $7,200 from the Ellis County Historical Society request.
"I just don't want to get tied into supporting their health insurance," Commissioner Perry Henman said.
The historical society requested $13,200 more this year to help pay 75 percent of the cost for basic health insurance for its three full-time employees.
Commissioners proposed a $1,500 cut to the Hays Arts Council's budget and a $2,000 cut to the Humane Society of the High Plains.
"When you look at the arts council, that's a 66 percent increase," Pfannenstiel said. "When you look at the Humane Society, it's a 50 percent increase. We can cut them, too."
Commissioners proposed cutting the first-time $2,000 request from Court Appointed Special Advocates.
"I don't want to start another program," Henman said. "CASA does have its own fundraising. I just think we're about to start something."
Henman also said the commission, in the future, should consider giving a lump sum to all the social organizations and having someone else distribute the money.
"They're putting us in a position to decide if they're good programs or not," Henman said.
Commissioners proposed cutting $500 from a first-time request for Juvenile Think Change, a Community Corrections program.
In other business:
* Commissioners opened bids for a bridge design project for a bridge on Big Creek south of Ellis. Public Works Administrator Mike Graf will review them and bring a recommendation to the commissioners.
* Graf has been able to locate a vendor for sealing oil for the county's remaining road work. SemMaterials, its previous supplier, filed for bankruptcy. Graf said even though the price will be considerably higher, he likely will be using Kansas City-based Vance Brothers to supply the necessary asphalt and oil.