Marshall County Judge-Executive Kevin Neal speaks as court secretary Desiree Hermosillo, listens during an April special-called fiscal court meeting in Benton.
Marshall County Fiscal Court on Tuesday adopted a $20.9 million operating budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year.
That total reflects $12,979,625 in appropriations anticipated from the county’s general fund, an increase of about $2.8 million from last year’s expenses. The county budgeted $464,600 in estimated expenditures for the county attorney’s office; $250,100 were budgeted expenses for the county clerk’s office; and $83,425 were allocated to the county coroner’s office; county PVA expenses totaled $126,600; board of supervisors expenses were estimated at $800; the county allocated $269,250 to the county treasurer’s office; court system expenditures were estimated at $14,600; election expenses accounted for $122,800; courthouse administrative expenses were budgeted for $212,100; costs to run the judicial building were estimated at $304,502; maintenance supplies – including utilities – on other county buildings under the general fund totaled $606,100; and the court allocated $424,500 to Geographical Information System office expenditures for the year.
General fund expenditures for the cemetery board, miscellaneous health services, sanitation, juvenile officer, building inspection, office of emergency management, ambulance service, fire protection, animal control and cemetery board totaled $752,325. County services funding for pauper burials, special service group grants and nuissance board expenses totaled $213,200.
Funding for the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department made up about 20 percent of anticipated general fund expenses, with $2,684,400 appropriated. Department expenses included $891,600 in deputies’ salaries; $97,300 for the sheriff’s salary; $167,400 in court security officers pay; $439,800 in retirement pay; $259,700 for department health insurance; and $100,000 in fuel expenses.
The county budgeted for $306,350 in expenses for the Judge-Executive’s office. The county judge’s salary accounted for $94,300; deputy county judge-executive salary was budgeted at $50,500; contract labor and other employee funds were set at $24,100; office retirement expenses were estimated at $34,800; health insurance accounted for $33,700; and the judge-executive’s travel expense budget was set at $10,000.
The court budgeted about $512,000 in fiscal court expenses for the year. Commissioners salaries accounted for $100,600 of that total; commissioner retirement funds were expected to total $20,900, and health insurance came to an estimated $36,100 for the year. The court budgeted $15,000 for commissioner travel expenses. County phone and Internet services accounted for $84,000, and computer software and development expenses were estimated at about $62,400. The court also allocated $100,000 for the Benton Oak Level line extension.
Economic Development office expenditures were budgeted for $536,500 from the general fund. Economic Development coordinator salary accounted for $79,800 of that total; industrial park development totaled $400,000; retirement expenses were estimated at $15,300; health insurance expenditures were set at $9,600; and travel expenses accounted for $8,000 of that total.
County Parks and Recreation appropriations totaled $915,100 for the fiscal year. Park labor accounted for the largest percentage of that total, at an estimated $323,100; salaried employee pay was set at $49,400; park retirement totaled $76,200; health insurance costs were expected at $97,000; utilities were budgeted at $80,000; construction expenses were estimated at $42,500; equipment totaled $40,000 of the sum; and $30,000 was earmarked for mowing and improvements.
Expenses from general fund reserves were estimated at $3,045,428, a total more than $2.2 million over the previous fiscal year, according to the budget appropriations breakdown.
All totaled, general fund expenses increased by about $2.8 million from the 2016-17 fiscal year.
In addition to the general fund, the court approved appropriations for the county road fund, ABC fund, occupational tax adminstrator, E-911 and detention center operations. While county expenditures increased from the general fund, those remaining funds saw decreases across the board. Total road fund expenses were estimated at $4,144,259, about $803,104 less than that budgeted for the previous fiscal year. Personnel salaries accounted for $875,100 of that expense; paving was budgeted at $625,000; fuel was expected to cost up to $175,000; road materials were set at $150,000; and pipes, culverts and other such items accounted for $150,000 of total expenditures. Employee insurance and benefits were estimated to come to $535,500.
The court set $2,344,750 in total jail expenditures, roughly $161,489 down from the 2016-17 fiscal year budget. E-911 budget appropriations totaled $735,200, a decrease of about $69,094 from the total budgeted figure with amendments. Occupational tax admin funding allocation was set for $120,000, some $975,343 less than the previous year. Total ABC expenses were budgeted at $345,110, more than $130,000 from 2016-17. Building inspection appropriations were set for $270,000, a $28,000 decrease.
The court approved grant funding to nonprofit agencies in the amount of $191,201. Of that total, the Hardin-South Marshall Senior Citizens were granted $37,751; Marshall County Caring Needline was allocated $35,000; Marshall County Senior Citizens were granted $92,500; Marshall County Ramp Ministries were granted $3,000; Marcella’s Kitchen was set to receive $10,950; and the Hope Clinic was allocated $2,000. Veterans Van funding, which had previously handled by the county, was transferred to the Marshall County Veterans Support Group.
For a complete breakdown of budgeted expenses for the year, visit the county’s website here.
To view the full June 20 meeting, watch the video on our YouTube channel here.