County adopts 2005 budget no layoffs in 2005

EPHRATA - Following weeks of meetings with county departments, the Grant County Commissioners have adopted a 2005 budget.

The budget will not result in any layoffs to start 2005, however the county was not be able to fill some positions that were impacted by the county's hiring freeze this year. The commissioners are currently taking measures to increase efficiency in departments that were impacted by that freeze.

The county human resources department had anticipated the layoffs of six employees, including four full-time employees, but higher than expected revenue numbers allowed the county to keep those positions. The county has also budgeted to replace four of the 12 positions that were impacted by the county's hiring freeze. The commissioners said Thursday that the hiring freeze will not continue into 2005.

"Any potential layoff, we tried to fund those positions." Commissioner Tim Snead said, "That was our priority, not to see any layoffs."

The final budget is the result of a months long process, that started earlier this year with the commissioners asking departments to submit proposals for their 2005 budget, making cuts of either four or seven percent. Most of the seven percent cuts were asked of departments in criminal and justice departments.

After seeing larger than expected revenue jump in December, the commissioners held weeks of meetings with county departments asking them what their priorities were to add back into their 2005 budget.

Money added back into the 2005 budget, the commissioners said, included $10,000 for the Grant County Coroner and $7,500 for Juvenile Court. The 2005 budget reflects positions at the Grant County Jail, the Grant County Sheriff's Office, Juvenile Court and in the Prosecuting Attorney's office that have either been added back or did not have to be eliminated. Grant County also has a $1,272,000 contract for indigent defense for contracts in District Court, Superior Court and Juvenile Court in 2005.

Grant County may see a brighter 2005 financially, according to the Grant County Commissioners. Commissioner Deborah Moore said they anticipate projected revenues in 2005 to be higher than previously expected.

"The economy is starting to pickup," Snead said.

The county's expenses in the general fund for 2005 will be $10,769 higher than expenses, and the commissioners said that money will go into the county's unallocated reserve fund. As adopted, the county's general fund budget includes expenses of $22,454,874 and revenues of $22,465,643.

The commissioners said the county's unallocated reserve funds now stands at approximately $3 million. The commissioners said the county is about two-thirds to where it needs to be with its unallocated reserve fund, to operate the county for three months.

The county did tap into approximately $900,000 from its cumulative reserve fund. The money in that fund went to pay for hardware such as ballistic vests, copy machines and computer upgrades.

The total county budget also includes about 40 other funds that are outside the general fund budget and total more than $75 million. The largest of the other funds is the county roads fund, totaling approximately $33 million. Including all those funds and the cumulative reserve funds, the entire Grant County budget totals approximately $98.6 million.

The county road budget includes approximately $7,452,000 in new road construction in the county next year. Those projects include several bridge projects and many gravel to pavement projects such as Stratford Road from Tyndall to Bridge 157 and L Road NE from Kittleson to Road 7 NE.

In an effort to increase efficiency in those departments impacted by the hiring freeze, the county is considering the possibility of shortening the hours that county departments make themselves available to the public. Currently the courthouse itself and most departments are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but the commissioners are currently asking departments for written feedback that would shorten the hours that departments make themselves available to the public for one hour at the beginning and end of the day. Under the plan the courthouse would be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The plan would not shorten the overall hours that county employees work. The commissioners said they would likely make a decision on the plan early in the year.

The commissioners are also asking for state help for financing the trials of Jake Eakin and Evan Savoie. The two teens are accused in the stabbing death of 13-year-old Craig Sorger in February of 2003. The commissioners are asking for reimbursement of more than $300,000 in 2004 funds under the Extraordinary Criminal Justices Act.

"We're looking toward our legislators to obtain funding for the two cases," Moore said.

The commissioners have submitted a funding request for the two cases, but said they likely won't know anything until the end of the next legislative session.