The Marion County Board has given tentative approval to its budget for the next fiscal year that begins December 1st.
For the first time, the budget tops $10-million and for the first time in four years, it ends the year with a projected surplus. The budget totals $10.7-million and even with a half-million-dollar contingency fund is scheduled to finish the year with a $244,000 surplus.
Finance Committee Chair Dr. Creighton Engel says the budget does not include the federal COVID-19 relief money that will allow for major improvement projects that will be under the direction of Ameresco. Engel says that money is being kept in a separate fund and will not be drawn into the main budget for tracking purposes until a project is about to begin.
Engel says only one additional building project is in the budget that would be paid for through regular building committee funds. That is an $84,000 contract already approved for cleaning the outside of the courthouse structure.
Engel was asked about other big changes in the budget.
“I think the biggest budgetary increase this year has been with some of the labor and FOP contracts. Paying back pay, things like this. And we’ve had to increase now because that’s locked in on the payroll side.”
The tentative budget will be available for public view at the county clerk’s office until the regular November 9th board meeting when it will come up for
final approval.
The board has also given final approval to a $1,500 hazard pay to each employee on the payroll on September 30th. The money for the payments is coming from the ARPA federal COVID relief funds. The board was told it would be too complicated to offer the bonus to former county employees who served during COVID but left before September 30th. No elected officials will receive the bonus.
The board tabled a motion creating a new Class D Liquor License for special off-premise events for existing license holders. The board was happy with the proposed $200 fee for the first day but wanted a $50 fee added if the event was for two days. It now goes back to the State’s Attorney for an amendment and possible vote at the November meeting.
