The Monroe County Board of Commissioners launched its new fiscal year in a lengthy session on Monday, approving a budget by a 2-1 vote.

The county’s fiscal year runs from Dec. 1 to Nov. 30 each year.

The first business was a detailed review of the budget for the new fiscal year, including comparisons with the previous year’s revenue-spending plan.  The review was led by Jim Schmersahl of the Columbia accounting firm of Schorb & Schmersahl. The firm works with the county treasurer to prepare the annual budget.

Schmersahl offered detailed examples of items of consideration and answered questions from commissioners.

He opened by noting that there was no problem with delaying passage of the budget until the first regular board meeting of the new fiscal year.  There had been no county money spent yet – no bills had been approved for payment, nor had there been an employee’s pay day yet.

Schmersahl of the Columbia accounting firm of Schorb & Schmersahl. The firm works with the county treasurer to prepare the annual budget.

Schmersahl offered detailed examples of items of consideration and answered questions from commissioners.

He opened by noting that there was no problem with delaying passage of the budget until the first regular board meeting of the new fiscal year.  There had been no county money spent yet – no bills had been approved for payment, nor had there been an employee’s pay day yet.

Schmersahl acknowledged difficulties surrounding the uncertainties concerning funds from the state due to the ongoing budget impasse.  Commissioners had previously noted that it is difficult to budget when they don’t know if past payments withheld will be made up and if and when new payments will be forthcoming.

He also noted changes in how monies were accounted for among offices and departments with a new accounting software program having been implemented this year.

The final budget offered for approval included a 3 percent pay increase for non-union employees and was for $7,122,859.06.  Of that amount, $6,717,022 is expected from real estate taxes. Anticipated revenues were projected at $6,871,869, for a total deficit of $250,990.06.

This projection assumes that state funds are received.  It was noted that the county does not routinely spend its entire projected budget in any given year.  The largest amounts in the budget are slated for the highway and sheriff’s departments.

Following more than an hour of discussion, a final vote on accepting the budget was sought.  The decision had to be made by a roll call when a second in support of a motion on the budget was not forthcoming.

The final vote was 2-1 in favor of budget passage, with commissioners Bob Elmore and Terry Liefer voting “Aye” and Delbert Wittenauer voting “Nay.”

Wittenauer said later that he held ongoing concerns about long-term trends that are difficult to reverse once they are put in place.

Later in the meeting, Monroe County Sheriff Neal Rohlfing addressed the commissioners about concerns he had with an article that appeared in another publication which he said misidentified his reasons for seeking a budget increase for the sheriff’s department.

He said the additional money sought was primarily for personnel, and he was trying to meet needs to fight crime increases, including drug offenses, stemming from population growth and the movement of crime from adjoining areas.
Rohlfing also said the bulk of his request was to fund an added full-time deputy and corrections officer, noting that none had been added in the last nine and 10 years, respectively.

He cited increases in calls for service over a recent 12-month period, up some 30 percent, as an added reason to plus-up his department.

Rohlfing also said federal prisoners his department recently began housing at the jail are drug offenders and white-collar criminals who have presented no problems in the six months his department has participated in the program while bringing in some $40,000 in revenue.

He noted that all adjoining and nearby Illinois counties are doing this as well.

“I am trying to meet peoples’ safety needs and prepare for the future,” he concluded.

In other news from the meeting, Monroe County Engineer Aaron Metzger presented an IDOT invoice for resurfacing Maeystown Road work that was completed in 2013. He noted that the state pays contractors for this work and then bills counties and other government entities as appropriate. There was discussion of withholding this payment until the state delivers on its promises, but the commissioners decided they had accepted the obligation and would pay the bill from existing highway funds.

Metzger also received approval to pay a county share of $191,131.31 to Waterloo for work on the Lakeview Drive sidewalk project.

University of Illinois Extension Office Director Pam Jacobs presented the unit’s annual report for 2015. The annual report notes the potential issue of state funds failing to be received. Persons interested in the extension’s work may go to: web.extension.illinois.edu/mms/ and follow them on Facebook.

It is required that at the start of each fiscal year, persons be elected as chairman and vice chairman of the board. Terry Liefer and Delbert Wittenauer were so elected, respectively.

Marge Francois, Mark Altadonna and Daniel Schumer were reappointed to terms on the Monroe County Board of Appeals.

A resolution was also approved to designate several area banks as depositories for public monies coming into the hands of elected officials, in particular, the treasurer. A list of 15 banks was approved for this purpose.

The commissioners will meet next in regular public session Monday morning, Dec. 21, at the courthouse.