Cherokee County budget healthy

July 04, 2009 11:14 pm

— By Roger McKinney
rmckinney@joplinglobe.com
COLUMBUS, Kan. — With half the year left, there is nearly 60 percent remaining in the Cherokee County general-fund budget.
The sheriff’s department is on track to meet budget for the first time in many, many years.
The beginning general-fund budget was nearly $4.6 million. After June bills and payroll, there was nearly $2.7 million remaining in the general fund, or 59 percent.
“It’s a sign that our department heads and elected officials are working real hard to stay within budget,” said Cherokee County Commission Chairman Pat Collins.
The sheriff’s department had a beginning budget of just over $1 million. There was $543,904 remaining in the budget at the end of June, or about 54 percent of the beginning budget.
Sheriff David Groves said he was hopeful about staying within budget this year. He said he was worried in January, when final bills from previous Sheriff Steve Norman’s administration came due.
“They are doing a real fine job staying in budget,” Collins said of the sheriff’s department. “The sheriff’s well aware of his operations.”
There was nearly 57 percent remaining of the separate sheriff’s department overtime budget, which started at $40,000.
There was only about 12 percent, or $59,269, left in the $515,000 jail budget. Collins said the jail budget is expected to be over budget. He said commissioners intentionally set the budget low to avoid increasing the property-tax rate. The jail operations are supplemented with revenues from housing out-of-county inmates from the general fund.
Among other county departments, nearly 47 percent of the commission’s $92,000 budget remained at the end of June. There was 54 percent remaining of the county clerk’s $156,623 budget. Nearly 56 percent remained of the county attorney’s $250,470 budget. The county treasurer had nearly 60 percent of its $180,000 budget left at the end of June.
“All in all, I think we’re doing real well,” Collins said.

Advisory committee
The county’s budget year is the fiscal year. An advisory committee of county residents has been meeting in advance of passage of the 2010 budget to develop recommendations for the County Commission.