The Cole County Commission on Tuesday got its first look at the county auditor's proposed 2018 budget, which would grow by $4 million compared to 2017.
The 2018 budget would be $82.4 million, which includes money carried forward from 2017.
Despite more money in the projected budget, Cole County Auditor Kristen Berhorst said she's projecting little if any growth in revenue from sales tax collections.
Almost two-thirds (66.6 percent) of the county's revenue will come from some type of tax. Overall tax revenue is projected to increase approximately $558,000 in 2018 compared to 2017. More than 43 percent of the tax revenue is from sales tax. It is projected to be essentially flat for 2018 as compared to projected 2017.
The second largest source of revenue comes from fees charged for the more than 50 services the county provides, including recording documents, holding elections and collecting taxes for other political jurisdictions. Fees are projected to increase in 2018, mostly due to an increase in fees for housing federal prisoners in the jail.
Revenue from grants is projected to decrease due to the county receiving one-year grants that ended in 2017.
The proposed budget includes a 1 percent cost of living allowance for county employees, but it does not have a merit pool, which is a reserve account to give merit raises.
"We just don't have the money to do the merit this year," Berhorst said. "The county, though, will continue to pay for health and dental coverage for employees."
Last year, the County Commission approved a $78 million total budget, which included a 2 percent COLA and 2 percent merit pool. It also included new employees in the sheriff's and ambulance departments.
The only new employees in the proposed budget are five for the ambulance service, due to a change approved in August to have ambulance employees work only 12-hour shifts and do away with 24-hour shifts as a response to an increasing volume of calls.
Ambulance Director Jerry Johnston proposed using ambulances 200,000 miles instead of 150,000 before the county replaces them and reducing the ambulance fleet from 12 to 11 and eventually to nine. For next year, he'd like to add a transfer van, which would cost $90,500.
Sheriff John Wheeler has asked the commission to approve approximately $20,000 for purchase of exercise equipment in the lower level of the department. Wheeler said the equipment would allow his staff to work out when they have down time in a safe and secure environment. Wheeler also has proposed moving the county's IT department from the courthouse basement to the sheriff's department, which would allow the county to get rid of outdated equipment.
The sheriff's department and ambulance service could split the county's cost for a reverse 911 system. Reverse 911 uses a database of telephone numbers and associated addresses, which when tied into geographic information systems, can be used to deliver recorded emergency notifications to a selected set of telephone service subscribers. The total cost would be $36,000. The Jefferson City Council approved funds in the city's budget to pay its $18,000 share.
As for projects to be done with half-cent capital improvement sales tax funds, plans are in place for work on two joint projects with Jefferson City - completing a railroad spur at Algoa to serve businesses in the area, as well as improvements on East High Street.
Design work was done last year on the spur track, which runs from Command Web across Militia Drive and continues along the south side of Morris Packaging and Alpla.
However, Union Pacific Railroad officials said more space was needed for siding and mainline tracks to make the project work. Without an increase in length, there could be interruptions in passenger and freight rail traffic.
This meant the project would cost more than the original estimate of $400,000-$500,000.
Construction should begin next year, possibly in the summer. The city and county will each pay $225,000, and Morris Packaging will pay $79,800.
Public Works Director Larry Benz said the county would pay $850,000 of the $1.7 million total for the East High Street project. This would rebuild the street and include new curbs, pavement, stormwater and sidewalk improvements, particularly around East Elementary School.
Other capital improvement sales tax projects to start in 2018 include design work for improvements on Business 50 West, at a cost of $140,000, and upgrading Waterford Road for $500,000.
Potential county facility upgrade projects listed by county Facilities Manager Greg Camp include $80,000 for sidewalk and handrail repairs at the courthouse. There's also a request to replace the roof at the Carnegie Building.
Budget discussions with department heads and elected officials are scheduled for Dec. 5. The commission is scheduled to have a public hearing and vote on the final budget Jan. 9.