Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler discussed some changes the Starke County Council members may see when the 2019 highway budget is presented during the budget workshop.
He said the department will see less money the second half of the year because gas prices went up and not as many people are filling up their gas tanks. Gas taxes come into the county to be used to improve local roads, streets and operations. This will trickle into next year’s budget as well. Ritzler said the state auditor estimates that about $283,000 less will be available this year while about $370,000 less will come to the county in 2019. On the flip side, the county will see a $399,000 surplus to help cushion the loss.
Ritzler noted that because of the county’s asset management plan they are able to move some items around to accommodate this loss in funding. He stressed that local services will NOT be cut. Ritzler commented that it is because of the asset management plan that the budget is able to have flexibility and that the highway department has not had to ask for money outside of their operating budget for the past five years, even with the flooding event that occurred in February.
The Starke County Council members planned their budget workshop for Monday, Aug. 6 beginning at 8 a.m.
