ARCHIVE

Spending decreases in 2005 budget proposals years ago

Budget proposals for 2005 were presented Monday to Marion County Commission by department heads.

David Brazil, county zoning administrator, environmental health director, and transfer station manager, proposed additional transfer station budget expenses for transportation and tipping fees.

Other budget increases covered utilities and the purchase of a new walking floor trailer or the repair and reconditioning of an older trailer the county currently owns.

Brazil said he included four percent for employee raises.

Fencing the yard area at the transfer station may be necessary as a requirement by Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Brazil said. He was not sure the cost for the fence but put it in the budget as a line item.

Roof repairs also are included in the 2005 budget, Brazil said, with the possibility of the roof being replaced.

Brazil also stated there might be a carry-over of funds from 2004. Overall, the total budget amount for the transfer station was lower than the 2004 budget.

Brazil reviewed the proposed budget for planning and zoning. New zoning regulations will influence the 2005 budget, Brazil said, resulting in some increases and some decreases.

The environmental health department budget had four percent for employee raises included with a budget increase for lab services. Commission chairman Leroy Wetta asked Brazil about West Nile Virus. Brazil said the state provides the testing for those cases.

— Dianna Carter-Frantz, county appraiser, presented the appraisal department budget proposal for 2005. She proposed a $100 increase from the 2004 budget. The proposed budget for 2005 was $231,550.

Carter-Frantz said she added a line item for a new CAMA (computer assisted mass appraisal) system which will be required by 2009. She said Riley County spent $38,000 for the upgrade. She was proposing setting aside a minimum of $30,000 to cover the expense. The state will reimburse the county for the expense in 2010, but the money needs to be available to purchase the system in 2009.

The appraisal budget has $4,000 encumbered from 2003 for CAMA and Carter-Frantz proposed $6,000 in the 2005 budget.

The budget also proposes "block time" with Great Plains Computers and Networking. Instead of paying $65 an hour for technical support, the department would pay $55.25 per hour. The money would be paid up-front with no rollover, Carter-Frantz said.

— Bill Smitthart, county noxious weed and household hazardous waste director, presented a 2005 budget proposal for his department.

The proposed amount for noxious weed department would be $4,000 less than the 2004 budget, Smithhart said.

The 2005 budget allows for a part-time driver and merit raises, Smithhart said.

Smithhart told the commission he would like to replace the all-terrain vehicle used for spraying weeds. He currently has $14,000 in capital outlay fund. The approximate cost for a new ATV would be $7,000 to $8,000, he said. Since he has funds available now, the commission instructed him to get bids for this year.

Smithhart said he would need to replace the 1999 spray truck in the near future. Currently his department has the 1999 spray truck, a 2000 spray truck, a 2003 pickup truck, and a 1996 ATV.

The budget for household hazardous waste department will not change, Smithhart said.

All budget proposals were taken under advisement by the commission to discuss at a later date.

Quantcast