County may have $22k in budget surplus

Glenn County may end up with a $22,000 budget surplus at the end of the 2011-12 fiscal year if things go as predicted by its Finance Department.

However, supervisors are not rejoicing too loudly at this point since the county's financial health is far from perfect.

Finance director Ted Rozmaryn reported Tuesday the county's mid-year budget review calls for its general fund to end the year with an estimated $22,000 left in the bank.

The number represents a $761,000 improvement in the beginning fund balance for the 2012-13 fiscal year compared to the $739,000 deficit the county started with this fiscal year, he said in a written report.

Rozmaryn said the projected $22,000 contrasts sharply with the $513,000 negative balance the county ended with last year.

Those negatives got made up through budget cuts, fund transfers and other factors in the budget process, Rozmaryn said, as departments worked to eliminate the shortfall.

"The departments have been extremely frugal in spending," he said. "They have only spent 32 percent of their projected budgets for the year by the end of December."

He said he forecasts they will ultimately spend about 96.5 percent of their budgets by June 30.

In addition, the county expects to receive about 96.6 percent of its projected revenues by the end of June, Rozmaryn said.

Still, some revenue sources are not likely to bring in as much as anticipated, he added.

Property taxes and related fees are expected to be down $115,000 from the original projection, court revenues down by $72,000 and revenue from the Planning and Public Works departments down by $71,000 because of the slow economy.

Rozmaryn also reported public safety funding revenues are expected to be down by $813,000, but that will be offset by a $900,000 reduction in expenditures.

Balances for other governmental funds are expected to increase by $981,000 by the end of the year for social service and health programs and the road department among others, he said.

"As long as expenses don't increase, we should come in with a slight carryover of funds," Rozmaryn said.

Supervisor Mike Murray cautioned not to get too excited by this news.

"We are doing better," Murray said, "but we are not OK."

He said the department heads are working hard to keep within their budgets, and the county employees are taking days off and not working 40-hour weeks to help balance the budget.

"We could end up $300,000 in the hole," Board Chairman Steve Soeth said, "If things go over."

He said that balance would occur if the county's spending went up just 3 percent to the 100 percent in the budget.

Contact Rick Longley at 934-6800 or rlongley@tcnpress.com.