Expenditures will increase 13.5 percent for Oconto County in 2014, according to the county’s proposed budget scheduled for a hearing Thursday. The county proposes spending $48.2 million, $5.7 million more than 2013.
Part of the increase is due to $3 million for the initial costs of a proposed law enforcement center. The 2014 budget includes $1.3 million for engineering and $1.7 million for property acquisition for the facility.
Other increases in the budget are related to higher employee compensation costs, operation costs, workers compensation and property insurance rates.
County officials propose a tax levy of $18.2 million, a 1 percent increase over last year. This results in a tax rate of $5.23 for $1,000 of assessed property value, a 1.5 percent increase. Owners of a $100,000 home will pay $523 in property taxes for county operations, an $8 increase over last year.
For the fifth straight year, equalized value fell in the county, to $3.5 million, a 5 percent drop.
The county plans to build the law enforcement center north of the courthouse in Oconto, which requires the purchase and demolition of 14 properties, estimated at $1.1 million in value. County officials propose using the rest of the $1.7 million to hire firms to handle the acquisition of the property and provide relocation services and removal of the buildings. The $1.3 million is proposed for the design of the center.
Although the money for the center will be allocated for 2014, supervisors will need to approve spending the funds as they adopt resolutions pertaining to the center.
Aside from the $3 million for the law enforcement center, capital projects funding remained steady, Administrative Coordinator Kevin Hamann said.
Of the $910,000 capital project fund, $205,000 will be used for an upgrade to the 9-1-1 system, $160,00 for squad car replacements, $150,000 for courthouse lighting upgrades, $40,000 for clock tower repair, $150,000 for Chute Pond upgrades, $45,000 for orthophotography and $160,000 for computer equipment. These projects are funded by the county sales tax, and the law enforcement center project is funded through the general reserve fund balance.
For a fourth year in a row, the county will rely on its fund balance — this year tapping $7 million — to stay out of debt.
Of the $7 million, $3 million is for the law enforcement center and $2.3 million will be used for ongoing operating expenses. Hamann said using this fund for day-to-day costs is problematic.
“We are using our savings account to balance the budget and keep the status quo,” he said. “We probably could do that for 2014 and probably have enough money for 2015, then the County Board has to make some tough decisions on making some cuts.”
Expenditures increased by 13.4 percent over last year, a $5.7 million jump to $48.2 million. Expenditures include $250,000 for the implementation of a salary compensation study. Previously, the county set pay rates based on union contracts. The passage of Act 10 limited collective bargaining rights for public unions, prompting the county to hire an outside firm to help determine salaries. A preliminary salary plan is scheduled to be reviewed by the board in November.
New employee positions proposed for 2014 include a half-time child support office position and part-time dispatch position in the sheriff’s office. The county also proposes expanding the corporation counsel position from part time to full time.
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