Budget may force reduced county services

Tue, 05/31/2011 - 8:00pm admin

The daunting task of
balancing the county's budget with shrinking revenues without
cutting services is under way.
Presiding county
commissioner Dave Morrison reiterated his concerns Monday after
announcing the county had a year-ending balance that was $133,105
less than the beginning balance on Jan. 1 2010.

Morrison, in a meeting with
eastern district commissioner T.J. Lewis and western district
commissioner Greg Donley, said the county started the year with a
balance of $292,181 and ended with a balance of
$159,076.

"Obviously we can't continue in this manner," Morrison said. "As
much as I'd like to think otherwise, I believe the public should
expect to see some reduced services."

Ozark County, like many other rural Missouri counties, is facing
reduced revenue from state and federal funding, near-stagnant sales
tax revenues and very little "wiggle room" to cut.

Along with the "normal" funding cuts brought about by the current
economy is another factor unique to Ozark County. Morrison
explained that Ozark County used to receive substantial payments
from neighboring Taney County for housing their prisoners for
several years. When Taney County opened its new jail in 2008, the
extra cash flowing across the county line stopped.

"We had built a pretty good reserve on that money," Morrison said.
"But we've chipped away at that reserve the past few years."

Now, the county has to figure out how to maintain services without
that cash cow. "Now it's back to the real world," Morrison
said.

Officials are optimistic, but admit that some cuts are all but
certain. Each county elected official is poring over budget numbers
and must present their proposals to commissioners later this
month.

The commissioners talked about how to save money and Morrison asked
Donley and Lewis what they thought about an across-the-board wage
freeze. "I'll just tell you right now that I'll vote against any
wage freeze," Donley said. "I think it's up to each elected
official to set the wages for their departments and decide on
raises. That's not our job. If they can work a raise for their
employees into their budget and hold the line, then I don't see a
problem with it."

Lewis said he disagreed, because he could see a potential morale
problem if some county employees were given a raise and others were
not.

"Our job is to balance the budget and not go into debt," Morrison
said. "Right now, this is all just discussion. Let's see how the
numbers come in and we'll go from there."

Stretching county dollars

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Budget may force reduced county services

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