Greene County Commission adopts $145M budget

As of Friday, Greene County officially has a 2016 budget. County commissioners signed and approved a 2016 general revenue budget of $42.2 million, a $4.4 million increase over 2015. In total, the county’s 2016 all-funds budget is nearly $146 million, according to a news release.

The increase reflects the funding of several major needs due to the extended recession and the past seven years of budget austerity – including staff raises. 

All employees will receive a 2.5 percent cost-of-living salary increase and employees with one or more continuous years of service will be eligible for a one-step merit increase.

The county coffers rose in 2015, in part, because of a 3.86 percent increase in sales tax revenue over 2014, when commissioners only had budgeted for 2 percent growth.

However, it wasn’t all good news at the Jan. 8 budget signing. The budget fell $8 million short of hitting all critical unmet needs as identified by department heads.

“Signing this budget assures that the office holders, department heads and their staffs are bringing forward a very conservative budget that addresses many unmet needs that have accrued over the last several years due to the recession,” said Commissioner Harold Bengsch.

 Other 2016 budget highlights include:

• $2 million for the construction of two new Greene County courtrooms, allowing two new judges to adjudicate cases;

• $678,000 for remodel and rental of office space in the Cox North Tower for the prosecuting attorney’s office;

• $896,000 for federal and state elections;

• an additional $250,500 in funding to the Springfield-Greene County Health Department;

• $237,000 for the purchase and outfit of 11 used cars to replace high-mileage Greene County Sheriff’s office vehicles;

• $230,000 for building repairs, including a replacement roof on the jail tower, repairs to the roof of the Greene County Historic Courthouse and the replacement of a boiler in the judicial courts facility; and

• $200,000 for alternatives to incarceration, including an expanded ankle-bracelet monitoring system.

The county’s goal is to maintain a 90-day safe-cash reserve to support 90 days of operating expenses. Through strategic budgeting efforts, the county now has a $9.9 million safe-cash balance, according to the release.