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 The Vietnam Memorial Traveling Wall passes through downtown Wapakoneta Wednesday, September 1. Staff photo/William Laney By CARLA MEYER
Staff Writer
For 45 minutes, the roar of motorcycles could be heard passing under an American flag hanging from two ladder trucks. For 45 minutes, area residents gathered in the shadow of the Auglaize County Courthouse and Wapakoneta Fire Station waved and clapped as motorcyclists rode by.
The smiles and waves turned into clapping and cheers as the Vietnam Memorial Traveling Wall passed down Willipie Street on its way to Custenborder Field in Sidney where it was greeted by a field of American flags.
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Tuesday, 13 January 2009 |
By KAREN CAMPBELL
Assistant Managing Editor
Despite elected officials and department heads trimming 5 percent from each of their budgets and employees not receiving a pay increase for the first time in 23 years, the Auglaize County budget is expected to stay basically the same in 2009.
The $14.8 million General Fund budget is expected in increase approximately $32,000 from 2008, Auglaize County Administrator Joe Lenhart said.
Commissioner John Bergman in December said the goal was to trim to budget to less than $14 million.
“The world definitely changed three to four months ago and when our projected revenue decreased we had to adjust accordingly and make some difficult decisions,” Commissioner Doug Spencer said. “Taking the precautions we have, we feel optimistic about 2009. We feel we have a solid budget if there are no unforeseen occurrences.”
He said at this time, he doesn’t foresee any additional cuts or layoffs inside the General Fund, but department heads and elected officials are advised to be prepared for a plan B, which could include additional 5 percent cuts.
Departments not included in the General Fund include Auglaize Acres, Job and Family Services (JFS), the Emergency Management Agency, Engineer’s Office and the Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (MRDD). At least two of those — JFS and MRDD — have already openly discussed the possibility of layoffs.
“What we tried to do with this budget is keep every employee employed and ensure that county services are not diminished or compromised,” Spencer said.
Aside from sales tax, which is set at $6.4 million, Auglaize County Auditor Janet Schuler said he anticipates receiving more than $270,000 less of in 2009, the General Fund also receives revenue from fees and fines, reimbursements and interest on county accounts, and revenue and grants from state and federal funds.
Approximately 300 county employees were notified Dec. 20 that for the first time since 1986, they would not be receiving salary increases. Exempt were nearly 100 employees from Auglaize Acres and the Sheriff’s Office who are under union contracts.
In the past, salary increases have ranged from 6 percent in the late 1980s and early 1990s to 2.5 percent in 2005 through 2007 and 3 percent in 2008.
Official salaries, which increased 2.8 percent in 2008, are not scheduled to increase for four years, as determined by the state.
The additional 5 percent each elected official and department head trimmed from their budgets didn’t include wages or benefits and many had already come to the commissioners with significantly trimmed proposed budgets for 2009.
For most, the 5 percent taken off came from areas such as supplies and other expenses, Lenhart said.
“Some ended up wiping out supplies, but I don‘t believe anyone really went back to absolute bare bones,” Lenhart said. “We’ll have to see where the year goes.”
In total from the General Fund, 11 percent was cut from supplies, 36 percent from equipment, 27 percent from other expenses, 7 percent from travel and 6 percent from contract repairs.
Fortunately, Lenhart said there were no health insurance rate increases. With health insurance accounting for $2 million of the General Fund, he said even a 1 percent increase there adds up fast and a lot of companies were seeing 6 to 10 percent increases this year.
Contract services is expected to increase 28 percent, which includes the repayment of nearly $800,000 in back debt the county was ordered to pay in the St. Marys Landfill lawsuit it lost. The debt is expected to be paid in full by July.
Before the end of the year, commissioners will have to determine a way to pay for new monitoring, which is estimated at $105,000 for 2009.
Solid Waste District Coordinator Dave Reichelderfer said the carryover used to pay for it previously is running out.
“We need some kind of additional income, like parcel fees, before the end of the year,” Reichelderfer said. “We’re about $15,000 short.”
Lenhart said everyone felt the county’s budget cuts, with contributions to the historical societies, airport and fair department down 5 percent, and the Auglaize County Ohio State University Extension Office and Auglaize County Soil and Water down even more.
“We really need to compliment the department heads and elected officials who looked at this with a team approach and did what was asked to be done given the gravity of the issue,” Spencer said. “It makes a difficult decision a little easier to do.”
One elected official, Judge Mark Spees, expressed particularly concerned the cuts. Spees said the $100,000 he cut from juvenile detention expenses wouldn’t impact the number of offenders he sends to facilities, but where he sends them, which could mean they don’t receive the treatment or assistance they need.
Lenhart said Spees planned to go into the year trying, but some cases may be need looked at individually.
Spees was out of the office and could not be reached for comment.
Lenhart said other departments were able to collaborate their needs, finding ways to get even the small things that often get overlooked cheaper.
Overall, between $30,000 and $200,000 was saved by not increasing salaries, depending on what percentage they may have been increased and $300,000 was cut when departments reduced their budgets by 5 percent, Lenhart said.
“It is hard to keep costs down when prices go up, but we’ve tried to look ahead for when times get lean and prepare with what we need,” Lenhart said. “We’ve always tried to keep up with everything so hopefully we’re not in too bad shape.
“I think we’re pretty good going in but we don’t know what the economy is going to do,” Lenhart said. “Our crystal ball is a little fuzzy like everyone else’s right now.”
Schuler said it is tricky to predict what may happen now, but in six months they will know more. Predictions that local revenue from that state will drop more than the 8 percent it has already since July means not just every county, but every township, village and city may be affected by cuts, too.
“Hopefully people will spend money and spend money locally so we can collect the sales tax here,” Schuler said. “We’re going to have to review and readjust this based on trends, stay on top of it and react accordingly.”
Spencer said what he wants to impress upon taxpayers and employers is how long the economic downturn could last.
“We have to be prepared for the worse case scenario and hope people are spending money and buying and selling homes in Auglaize County so we can continue to keep employees employed here and services at the level they are,” Spencer said. “We don’t want to shoot at the sky and fall. We still have to provide services and hope that the economy recovers sooner rather than later.”
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 13 January 2009 )
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