A public hearing on the proposed 2008 Fremont County budget highlighted the agenda for the Commissioners regular meeting Tuesday. County Finance Director Dana Angel said that the budget document presented at the hearing did not include any allowance yet for additional revenue the county would gain from the passage of Issue 1-B which voters approved one week earlier. The Commissioners did take the opportunity to thank the voters for their support in passing 1-B and expressing trust in the Commissioners to address the most urgent need with the additional dollars.
The 2008 budget message prepared by Angel noted that the only decision made so far about the anticipated $487,383 in additional 1-B revenue is that the Commissioners ear marked $250,000 immediately for Road and Bridge projects in 2008. Final decisions on use of the rest of the money in 2008 will be made prior to the December 11th budget adoption. The Commissioners said that in fact they hope more money might be spent on Road and Bridge projects but that it's also important to address the General Fund reserves which were drawn down to extremely low levels the last three years. General Fund reserves are expected to be $601,000 by the end of 2008 with a goal by the Commissioners to reach a targeted reserve of $1 million by the start of 2010.
Total proposed county spending for 2008 is $27,311,000, an increase of 4.5 percent from 2007 spending. Sheriff's Department expenses are expected to increase by $654,000 in 2008 due to the opening of 96 new jail beds. The county expects those costs to be offset by revenues the Sheriff will collect from leasing at least 48 of the beds to other agencies. The Commissioners say their hope is that the Sheriff will collect sufficient revenues to start building a reserve fund of his own without relying on more money from the county's General Fund. The Commissioners say their concern is that without the passage of the Sheriff's proposed half-cent sales tax for public safety, within a couple of years the money from Issue 1-B might again have to be funneled to meet the mandated requirements to operate the jail. The Sheriff's budget will actually show a $54,000 deficit at the end of 2007 due to the county's share of hiring staff to open the 96 new jail beds.
The proposed 2008 county budget shows varied increases to salaries for county employees as a result of a salary survey performed during 2007. The minimum compensation increase any employee will receive is 1 ½ percent. Average salary increases by fund include 4 percent in the General Fund, 2.88 percent in the Road and Bridge Fund, 4.83 percent in the Sheriff's Fund, and 2.71 percent in the Human Services Fund.
Cripple Creek and Victor Gold Mine Operations Manager Larry Newcomer and Community Affairs Manager Jane Mannon attended the Commissioners meeting to present a $25,000 check to the Commissioners as part of the funding to build salt-sand sheds at each of the Road and Bridge Department's four district shops. Commission Chairman Ed Norden said the gold mine's $25,000 gift was integral to the county's success in securing a $200,000 Colorado Mineral Impact Grant this past summer. The county matched $65,000 for the project from Road and Bridge reserve funds. The salt-sand sheds will enable the county to purchase material in bulk during the summer and fall at more economical prices. The sheds with concrete floors will also prevent leeching of the salts out of the sand into the soil.
The Commissioners set a public hearing date of Tuesday, December 11th, at 10 a.m. for the proposed creation of the Western Fremont Fire Protection District. Residents at Coaldale are proposing the new fire district to be split off from the Deer Mountain Fire District. The public hearing and the Commissioners approval of the service plan are required as first steps in setting up the new fire district.
In other business the Commissioners:
The 2008 budget message prepared by Angel noted that the only decision made so far about the anticipated $487,383 in additional 1-B revenue is that the Commissioners ear marked $250,000 immediately for Road and Bridge projects in 2008. Final decisions on use of the rest of the money in 2008 will be made prior to the December 11th budget adoption. The Commissioners said that in fact they hope more money might be spent on Road and Bridge projects but that it's also important to address the General Fund reserves which were drawn down to extremely low levels the last three years. General Fund reserves are expected to be $601,000 by the end of 2008 with a goal by the Commissioners to reach a targeted reserve of $1 million by the start of 2010.
Total proposed county spending for 2008 is $27,311,000, an increase of 4.5 percent from 2007 spending. Sheriff's Department expenses are expected to increase by $654,000 in 2008 due to the opening of 96 new jail beds. The county expects those costs to be offset by revenues the Sheriff will collect from leasing at least 48 of the beds to other agencies. The Commissioners say their hope is that the Sheriff will collect sufficient revenues to start building a reserve fund of his own without relying on more money from the county's General Fund. The Commissioners say their concern is that without the passage of the Sheriff's proposed half-cent sales tax for public safety, within a couple of years the money from Issue 1-B might again have to be funneled to meet the mandated requirements to operate the jail. The Sheriff's budget will actually show a $54,000 deficit at the end of 2007 due to the county's share of hiring staff to open the 96 new jail beds.
The proposed 2008 county budget shows varied increases to salaries for county employees as a result of a salary survey performed during 2007. The minimum compensation increase any employee will receive is 1 ½ percent. Average salary increases by fund include 4 percent in the General Fund, 2.88 percent in the Road and Bridge Fund, 4.83 percent in the Sheriff's Fund, and 2.71 percent in the Human Services Fund.
Cripple Creek and Victor Gold Mine Operations Manager Larry Newcomer and Community Affairs Manager Jane Mannon attended the Commissioners meeting to present a $25,000 check to the Commissioners as part of the funding to build salt-sand sheds at each of the Road and Bridge Department's four district shops. Commission Chairman Ed Norden said the gold mine's $25,000 gift was integral to the county's success in securing a $200,000 Colorado Mineral Impact Grant this past summer. The county matched $65,000 for the project from Road and Bridge reserve funds. The salt-sand sheds will enable the county to purchase material in bulk during the summer and fall at more economical prices. The sheds with concrete floors will also prevent leeching of the salts out of the sand into the soil.
The Commissioners set a public hearing date of Tuesday, December 11th, at 10 a.m. for the proposed creation of the Western Fremont Fire Protection District. Residents at Coaldale are proposing the new fire district to be split off from the Deer Mountain Fire District. The public hearing and the Commissioners approval of the service plan are required as first steps in setting up the new fire district.
In other business the Commissioners:
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Approved a resolution transferring another 37 parcels of property out of the John C. Fremont Library District at Florence into the Penrose Library District due to the fact that boundaries were improperly drawn when John C. Fremont was first formed;
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Approved a resolution authorizing the chairman to sign an agreement verifying the dry up of acreage at Pathfinder Park as it pertains to ownership of irrigation ditch shares;
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Changed the date of the November 27th regular meeting to Monday, November 26th at 9:30 a.m. and changed the date of the December 25th regular meeting to Friday, December 21st, at 9:30 a.m.;
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Approved transfer of the Arkansas River Tours special review use permit from Reed and Karen Dils to Robert Hamel L.L.C.;
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Approved the temporary cessation of a special review use permit for a garage shed at the Tallahassee County Shop property since it is no longer used to store a fire truck;
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Voted to rescind a special review use permit for the I.O.O.F. Indian Wells Park, a neighborhood park project that never got underway on seventeen acres west of the Deer Mountain Fire Station.