Published: August 28, 2008 07:51 pm      

Committee pulls capital items from budget

Items will be considered at a later date

In an effort to cut Cumberland County's general fund for fiscal year 2008-'09, commissioners serving on the budget committee decided to pull all capital items requested in the budget and list them separately.

The action resulted in more than $1 million being pulled from the general fund. The capital items will then be considered individually, later in the fiscal year, most likely after January 1. The largest of the capital items includes two new fire trucks for the county fire department as well as a new building addition at the county's main station.

Purchasing two new fire trucks has been planned for several years in an effort to lower the county's ISO rating to help lower insurance costs. However, the purchase has been cut the past few years. Although they are not approved, they will be considered later in the fiscal year after commissioners determine how the budget is going and how tax revenues are coming in for the fiscal year.

"This is a way for us to see how things are going and be able to see if we can handle funding these items," said Lynn Tollett, 3rd District commissioner.

Other larger ticket items in the capital list include a new bucket truck for Cumberland County building and grounds maintenance at $40,000 and $75,000 for HVAC, exterior trim, lighting and shelving at the county archives building.

Other capital lines include purchases for the county jail in the total amount of $98,000 and county fire department for $39,000 and new equipment for the ambulance service at $20,000. Those will be considered later as well.

In all the capital items list totals approximately $1.3 million.

A $35,000 emergency fund was also set up for department heads to come to Cumberland County Fianance Director Nathan Brock in case of an emergency.

"If a printer or computer crashes and that item is needed immediately they can go to Nathan for the funds rather than having to wait for a month for a decision by the committee," Tollett said.

The committee also tentatively set salary increases for the 2008-'09 budget.

Ninth District Commissioner Carmin Lynch made a motion to give all part-time county employees an increase of 20-cents per hour. It was supported by 7th district Commissioner Mike Harvel and approved unanimously.

Harvel then made a motion for full-time county employees who are paid over their pay scale amounts to receive no increase; and employees with 20 years or more of service to receive an increase of $400 annually. First District Commissioner Harry Sabine supported the motion and it was passed unanimously with 4th District Commissioner David Gibson abstaining.

"We have to get the scale in order. If we keep giving increases to the ones who are already over the scale then we won't ever stop," Harvel said.

All the salary increases were tentatively approved pending approval of the entire 2008-'09 fiscal year budget.

Commissioners also said they may need to revisit the county-wide pay scale next year to make adjustments.

After two nights of cuts the committee has removed nearly $200,000 from the county's general fund plus the capital items of $1.3 million for a total of $1.6 million. This lowers the total estimated expenditures of the 2008-'09 fiscal year general fund to approximately $22 million.

Commissioners on the budget committee plan to meet Wednesday, Sept. 3, at 4:30 p.m. to finish discussions with the county general fund.