2018 may have just started, but some Pulaski County officials are already preparing for shortfalls in this year’s budgets. Maintenance Supervisor Jeff Johnston told the county council last week there isn’t enough money for part-time help. “I guess the numbers were taken off of last year, when I only had two part-time people, and I’ve got four,” he said. “So I’ve only got enough for two of my part-time people. In order to pay them the rest of this year, that additional is $42,360.”
He explained that council members agreed to fund the additional employees, but never actually included that money in his budget. “When I asked permission to take over the Highway Department person, I came to you and said ‘I need x amount of dollars, in order to pay that person through the end of the year.’ You told me at that meeting that number was wrong because other things had to be factored into it, and you would get back to me with the right number. Nobody ever got back to me, and I ended up, at the end of the year, $9,000 short – no, $19,000 short.”
However, council members decided to hold off the additional appropriation request until that money is actually needed. “I hate these additionals because we don’t even have our budget back,” said council member Mike Tiede. “If we wait six months, you might have money left somewhere else you can transfer in. I mean, it’s six months until you need it.”
Council member Linda Powers agreed, “Even if we said five months, if we can revisit it, once we get a budget back.”
“Which would be fine, and I’d be happy about that,” Johnston replied, “except that didn’t happen last time.”
The county council did decide to advertise an additional appropriation request of $167,000 for Building and Structure Repair. No money was budgeted in that line item at all. Council members explained it was cut in an effort to balance the General Fund budget, with the understanding that it could later be appropriated from the Cumulative Building Fund, instead.
That additional appropriation will be up for final approval at a future meeting.
