County commission reviews budgets for county offices

Money dominated Thursday's Cape Girardeau County commission meeting.

The board has begun reviewing draft budgets for county offices, starting with the court system.

Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones set the tone as he reviewed the figures provided by the county auditor's office. Auditor David Ludwig was at the meeting, along with deputy auditors Virgie Koeppel and Beth Biri.

"What we're encouraging people to do is submit zero-based budgets. No increases," Jones said, noting with approval that Division 1 and 2 Circuit Court Clerk Charles Hutson's budget of $98,000 was $3,000 lower than this year's. "Right today our sales tax income is at 99 percent. We're used to sales tax income of about 3.5 percent above the past year and we're one percent under -- a 4.5 [percent] difference."

Like many government agencies, the county must draw up a budget without knowing for certain what its income will be, because receipts heavily depend on sales taxes. In a week with dire economic news dominating national coverage, Jones said, "We're not going to be real excited about giving anyone increases." He also noted that, even with careful planning of court costs, "one good murder trial and a change of venue will cost the county $25,000."

Koeppel told the commissioners that fees for county services have been about the same as last year and have not risen over several years.

Among budgets for individual judges' offices, Judge Gary Kamp's included an additional $2,600 for a criminal record search service that the commissioners approved earlier this year.

First District commissioner Larry Bock suggested pursuing full funding of the new copier from the county's law enforcement restitution fund (CLERF).

Circuit Judge Benjamin Lewis asked for $24.400, the same amount as last year, but noted a savings of nearly $7,000 over the previous fiscal year -- money Koeppel said Lewis plans to use to replace an old copier.

Judge Peter Statler has asked for $32,530, an increase of nearly $2,000, which will be used to cover the rising cost of lawyers designated to represent children and those adults unable to handle their own affairs.

The court reporters budget may drop by $40, to $12,060. The board will review the commission's budget at 9:45 a.m. Monday. Reviews will continue through November, followed by public hearings before the final budget is adopted.

Though many questions were asked about 2009 income projections, a single figure or a sense of how different next year's financial picture will be from this year's never emerged, in part because the county is awaiting receipt of some money.

Koeppel told commissioners this year's budget work is ahead of last year's because most officeholders have turned in their worksheets promptly. Those outstanding budgets are for offices, such as the assessor, which are waiting for other financial reports, typically delivered in October and November.

Don McQuay, the county's building and grounds supervisor, told commissioners the cost of replacing the Common Pleas Courthouse's heating and cooling system will likely be full borne by the county, to the tune of about $50,000. They had understood the cost above and beyond the $70,000 state grant for repairs would have been evenly split with the city of Cape Girardeau. McQuay said he'd looked back as far as 1979 and found intergovernmental agreements showing the county would be responsible for maintenance and repairs. The commissioners, looking glum, unanimously approved the payment.

They turned attention to another looming bill, for $27,000 from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The charge stems from a 2005 Hubble Creek project. The county didn't get the bill until this year, and commissioners are balking at paying it.

Michelle Kniep, project manager for the St. Louis District of the Corps of Engineers, said she should have notified the county in writing that the contractor cost more than anticipated.

Jones agreed. He told Kniep if the situation were reversed, he was sure the federal government would not pay the bill. Stan Murray, who worked on the project for another agency and now works for the county's highway department, said Kniep's neglect to notify the county in writing of the first overrun might constitute a breach of contract. The commissioners told Kniep they would take the bill under advisement and moved to the next agenda item, Purcell's suggestion to revamp county policies relating to commissioners' cars.

In addition to suggesting commissioner use their own vehicles to get to and from the county administration building, he also asked that, given the rise in costs for utilities, health insurance, and other county costs, the commission rethink purchasing a new truck for Bock. He said the decision should be delayed until the county has an analysis of the benefit of such purchases.

He could not sway the commissioners.

Jones said the funds would be taken from the county's highway department budget.

Bud Proffer, of the Sheriff's Department, asked for CLERF funds to purchase new vehicles, to replace a wrecked patrol car; two bailiffs cars -- one of which has more than 140,000 miles on it -- and a transportation vehicle. The commissioners unanimously approved the request.

Lonnie Moore, 211 County Road 473, told commissioners he would be paving his driveway and wanted to know if the highway department could add asphalt to smooth the transition between his drive and the county road.

Bock said he would look into it.

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127