County offices find cuts

Red Willow County commissioners Monday morning seemed satisfied, or at least resigned, with cuts and compromises made in several county budgets, although Chairman Earl McNutt joked, "Oh, it's never enough ... "

Commissioners and budget clerk Shirley Volz plan a public hearing to approve the final budget Monday, Sept. 10, at 9:30 a.m.

VETERANS SERVICE OFFICER

Commissioners approved Veterans Service Officer Tom Stritt's budget, although Stritt's final budget figure of $40,025 went up an additional $600 because Stritt miscalculated his rent.

Stritt told commissioners there are no areas he can cut, after the board asked him and other county officials to rework their initial budget request. Stritt's budget increased from $37,200 in 2006-2007 to $40,625 for 2007-2008.

Stritt told commissioners that he cannot utilize a county veterans aid fund for anything except veterans' unforeseen emergencies or immediate needs. That fund has about $10,000 in it.

Grave flag markers -- $22 each -- cannot be purchased from that fund, Stritt said, and he now must purchase Afghani and Iraqi war markers.

Stritt told commissioners that his proposed salary increase of $2,000 exceeded their recommended raise proposal (which would have meant a raise for him of $1,560) because, he said, he is the lowest-paid full-time county veterans service officer in Nebraska. Other counties also have part-time assistants and secretaries, he said. Stritt said the $2,000 increase -- up to a salary of $27,000 -- will bring him more in line with other county veterans service officers.

Stritt said it is the responsibility of the county's service committee to see that he is paid according to salary guidelines for elected county officials. "I'm at the bottom end," he said. "And I think I do a better job than the average service officer."

Stritt said increases in his 2007-2008 budget are earmarked for increased travel, to training and continued education meetings in Lincoln/Omaha and Chadron/Scottsbluff.

Stritt told commissioners that he has spent maybe $10 in county funds, for postage, phone calls and paper, plus his time, helping veterans who live outside Red Willow County. "No one from Red Willow County waits while I help someone from another county," Stritt said.

Stritt said he requests that veterans return to their own county for service. "I send vets back one time," he said, but added that he will help them if they come back again.

Stritt said that although he paid $10 in Red Willow County funds to help veterans from other counties, those veterans are coming to McCook and spending their money here. "McCook is benefitting greatly from my office," Stritt said.

McNutt said he would like to see a consolidation of veterans service offices in Southwest Nebraska. Hitchcock County has hired a new service office, to replace the retiring Bob Sutton, so, commissioners guessed Monday morning, the idea of consolidation is no longer viable.

Stritt said that if his office were to become a central location for veterans services, he would not be able to maintain his office without additional staffing.

"I think ... I know ... I guarantee that veterans would be better served," through a consolidated service office, Stritt said, mainly because it would be open five days a week, not one day a week as in neighboring counties.

Stritt said he did not spend about 10 percent of last year's budget, and Commissioner Leigh Hoyt told him that any department's funds not spent at the end of each budget year are funneled back into the county's general fund. McNutt told Stritt, "Don't spend every dime, just because you have it."

SHERIFF'S OFFICE BUDGET

Sheriff Gene Mahon agreed not to fill a full-time deputy vacancy this year.

The deputy's salary of $25,352 will be used to supplement the salary/pay overtime for two part-time deputies, for whom the county does not provide benefits. Not hiring a full-time deputy will save the county $16,000 in benefits, Mahon told commissioners.

Mahon defended the number of deputies that he has -- four -- saying that they also perform jail and prisoner transport duties on top of law enforcement. Sheriff's departments in comparable counties often have staff who perform only jail duty or law enforcement duties, Mahon said.

Outside of the personnel salary increase authorized by commissioners, Mahon said, his budget increased mainly because of items beyond his control -- transportation and gas costs and the teletype/dispatching contract with the City of McCook which went from $12,000 to $24,000.

Mahon's office budget went from $273,138 in 2006-2007 to the proposed $300,465.

Commissioners authorized up to a $.75 raise for salaried and part-time employees. The amount of an individual's raise is at the discretion of his/her employer/elected official.

Elected county officials were guaranteed annual raises of 3 percent (in December 2005, prior to their election in 2006) for the 2007-2010 term.

McNutt told Mahon he was concerned that one of the sheriff's employees got a larger raise than any one else, and wondered if it would create animosity within the office. "I guess it's your problem if others are unhappy," McNutt said.

Mahon justified the increase for the employee, explaining the the position is actually two jobs. "I have no disgruntled help within my office," Mahon said.

McNutt wondered out loud if commissioners had been too generous with proposed raises for salaried and part-time employees. "Maybe we spoke too early," in the budget process," he said, something that he promised won't happen again.

McNutt, Hoyt and fellow commissioner Steve Downer agreed that if elected officials can't or won't make cuts in their budgets, the number of county employees will be the next place commissioners will look to make decreases. Hoyt said, "If things don't get better somewhere, we'll have to cut back on help."

FAIRGROUNDS

Fair board manager Deb Lafferty told commissioners that she and board members have cut $8,250 from the fairgrounds' proposed budget of $392,219 for 2007-2008.

Lafferty said she cut $7,000 from the cost of adding a storeroom onto the Community Building by planning to reuse siding and insulation taken from the original Kiplinger arena when an addition was built there last winter/spring.

Lafferty cut $1,000 from the miscellaneous item in the budget and cut her machine hire budget in half, from $500 to $250. These deductions bring the fairgrounds budget to $383,969.

"Is that enough?" Lafferty asked. And McNutt, with a chuckle and a sly grin on his face, replied, "Well, it's never enough ... "

Lafferty said salaries, utilities and electrical improvements are areas of budget increases.

Commissioners asked if rental rates at the Kiplinger, the Community Building and the 4-H Building could be increased without discouraging their use. The buildings are in high demand, McNutt said, wondering if the demand justifies higher rental rates. "We don't want to get greedy, and foul things up," he said.

Fair board member Jay Schilling told commissioners the board would study rental rates, but he feels that they can't raise rates and still have the quality and quantity of events they have. The buildings, and the race track, are in use about 250 days a year, he said. There's not a facility sitting idle, he said.

McNutt requested that Lafferty keep track of the county-paid personnel hours that go into the operation of the Kiplinger Arena, on which, he reminded everyone, benefactor Tom Kiplinger wanted no tax money spent.

County maintenance crews prepare the building between events, McNutt said. "There's lots of personnel time spent over there," he said.

Schilling said that keeping rates reasonable/low, particularly at the Kiplinger, encourage the buildings' use. "We're having more events all the time," he said. Lafferty said they are also hosting more three- and four-day events. "Our advantage is that we're cheaper than (facilities) Kearney-east," she said.

Schilling said the buildings perform "a community service" as well, bringing people to McCook and its businesses and eating establishments. "These events bring lots of people to town," Schilling said.

McNutt interjected that these events are perfect examples of Red Willow County being a direct benefit to McCook, and a reason why McCook should share a portion of its proposed half-cent sales tax. "A quarter of that sales tax would sure help our road budget," McNutt said.

Schilling, a relatively new member of the fair board, promised commissioners that he will keep a watchful eye on the fairgrounds budget. Lafferty said she would bring more detailed budget reports to board meetings.

McNutt asked that fair board members be as cautious with the fair board's budget as they would be with their own. Downer promised, "With the fair levy going up, and revenues down, something is coming to a head."

Lafferty said the fair this year was profitable, with no storms and cooler weather.

Hoyt vowed, "The next place cuts will be needed is the help. If you can't cut any more out of your budgets ... "

Schilling said fair board members will discuss rental rates and keep a better eye on the budget. "We'll do what we have to do to keep it down," he said.