COUNTY BUDGETING PROCESS MOVES ALONG

JACKSON -- Cape Girardeau County Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep has been tying up a lot of loose ends for the year's end, and the end of his 16-year tenure on the commission.

Since announcing more than a year ago that he wouldn't seek a fifth term in 1994, Huckstep has been preparing for Dec. 31, 1994, when his stint as the county's highest elected official ends.

In the past year, Huckstep has helped with the acquisition of new park land for future commissions to develop, improvements to the county's computer system, and reigning in county expenditures to ensure they align with the year's budget.

One of his final actions will be to finish next year's county budget.

"I don't see any reason why we can't have that budget done before I leave here," Huckstep said. "The process is moving along pretty well and we seem to be on schedule."

County Auditor H. Weldon Macke oversees the budget process, and he has sought requests from the 32 departments and agencies that receive county funds.

By Wednesday, Macke had about 10 budgets in. He expected to have all the department budgets ready for the commission's review by next week.

"We have made a second contact with everybody and, even though I don't have a lot of them in, I have been in contact with officeholders," Macke said. "Most of the budgets are realistic."

Huckstep, as presiding commissioner, is the chief budget officer of the county. He and Associate Commissioners E.C. Younghouse and Larry Bock vote on the final budget document.

State law requires the budget be approved before any bills can be paid in 1995, which means the final deadline isn't until late January.

But since he and Younghouse are retiring, Huckstep said he wants the process finished before two new members come on board.

Gerald Jones, who will become presiding commissioner Jan. 1, and Joe Gambill, who will become 2nd district commissioner, both were invited to join in the final review of the 1995 budget.

"They won't be in the decision-making process, but we want to hear their input and I think they will appreciate sitting in and seeing how we handle it," said Huckstep.

Beginning the week of Dec. 12, the current and future commissioners will give final review to each budget and allow officeholders an opportunity to discuss any special requests with them.

"If all goes well, we should be done in two or three days, and that will leave us in position to have a budget hearing Dec. 27," said Huckstep.

Before the commission can formally approve its budget, a public hearing must be conducted.

Huckstep said he doesn't anticipate any major capital expenditure items in the budget, except for completion of the computer upgrade.

Macke said the implementation several years ago of a pay classification system has greatly reduced discussion about pay increases. The system provides for incremental pay increases for each type of county job.

"My instructions from the county commission was that we are to do salaries by the book," said Macke.

Cape County's 1994 budget is $6.09 million for general revenue and $1.7 million for roads and bridges.

The county also has a capital trust account, which is set aside for emergencies and capital items. As of Dec. 31, 1993, the balance in that account was $3.8 million.

By the end of this year, Huckstep predicted the balance will be well above $4 million.

"I'm a saver," said Huckstep, noting that during his tenure the county will have gone from borrowing money on next year's taxes to get by, to having a savings account to meet emergencies.