Scott County Commission on track to approve budget before deadline

BENTON, Mo. -- Scott County officials are on pace to have the county's operating budget approved over a week before the deadline.

A public hearing for the budget is scheduled for today, after which commissioners plan to approve the budget, Commissioner Dennis Ziegenhorn said Tuesday during the Scott County Commission meeting.

"We're going through it, making sure the numbers are right," Ziegenhorn said. "It's looking really good. We only spent about 86 percent of our budget last year -- it gives us something to carry forward."

Budget requests from departments were due Jan. 15 by state statutes.

"Rita [Milam, county clerk] had them come in about Jan. 4," Ziegenhorn said. "There's not a whole lot of change from last year, on requests. We're pleased with how everybody spent their money last year and how they're asking to spend it this year."

Presiding Commissioner Jamie Burger said this is important as county officials can't control income but can only control expenses.

"We keep hearing things are looking better," Ziegenhorn said about the economy, but added they are not seeing an economic improvement reflected in the county's sales tax receipts. He said sales tax receipts received this month are down as compared with last year.

Ziegenhorn said he doesn't expect the county to receive very much sales tax revenue next month.

"February historically has been a low month," he said.