The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

Carthage, Jasper County

Discussion

November 17, 2009

County 911 panel endorses spending cuts for next year

By Susan Redden

sredden@joplinglobe.com

CARTHAGE, Mo. — A committee of the Jasper County Emergency Services Board has advanced a proposed budget that trims spending by nearly $100,000 because of a downturn in sales tax revenues and plans by the Jasper County sheriff’s office to end a contract for services.

Though directors asked that the board’s staff continue to look for savings, the panel endorsed a proposed spending plan that projects spending at $1,570,799 for the 2010 fiscal year. That’s down from the budget of nearly $1.7 million adopted for this year.

The operation’s primary revenue source is a one-tenth-cent sales tax. The budget estimates tax proceeds next year will be just over $1.4 million, down about $250,000 because of the economic downturn.

It also estimates payments from the sheriff’s office of $55,334, based on the expectation that the sheriff’s contract will end at midyear. Sheriff Archie Dunn is looking at relocating the sheriff’s dispatch operation or hiring his own dispatchers to work in the county center. Either way, the nearly $111,000 that the department has paid the county board for the past several years is expected to end.

In light of the expected revenue loss, Rich Nordell, board executive, recommended balancing the budget by making changes in workers’ insurance that would trim about $17,000, cutting the purchase of a new vehicle and several laptop computers, and refinancing an equipment lease to trim $34,000.

With the cuts, expected revenues should exceed expenditures by $9,000, Nordell said.

Board members, including chairman Kelly Stephens, who is chief deputy for the Sheriff’s Department, expect the end of sheriff’s dispatching will reduce personnel costs for the county operation. Nordell said he still is uncertain about the impact, and the budget as proposed does not reflect lower personnel costs.

Action on a final budget is up to the full board, which is to meet Dec. 8.



Expenses trimmed

County 911 board expenses have been trimmed in recent years with the end of a contract with the city of Joplin to provide backup dispatching for the county. Under that arrangement, the county paid Joplin about $280,000 per year.

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