Employee insurance costs up for fiscal court

 Whitley County officials said the 2014-15 fiscal year budget totaling more than $15 million is about the same as the 2013-14 budget.

Judge-executive Pat White Jr. said while the amount is approximately $1 million higher than last year, it includes a $1 million grant for the construction of the energy efficient homes in Emlyn. The county is not contributing any funds but is managing the grant money.

The largest category is the general fund, which receives $3.19 million. The general fund has multiple sub categories covering everything from the White’s salary, $93,864, to payments on the county’s bond debt, $140,400, to the contract for housing juvenile inmates, $28,000.

One issue covered in the general fund was health insurance for the county’s 100 full-time employees.

In approving the health insurance, it was noted that it is costing the county approximately $575 per employee per month, an increase of approximately $60 per employee per month.

The county has $757,900 budgeted for employee health, dental and life insurance this year. White noted the costs are expected to take another double-digit percentage jump next year.

The jail fund is 18.66 percent of the budget, totaling approximately $2.89 million. $805,000 goes toward jail personnel. The other large-ticket items are food at $290,000, medical services at $275,000, utilities at $159,000 and the jailer’s salary at $93,864.

The road department budget is third on the budget pie, accounting for 16.5 percent of the budget at $2.55 million.

Employees’ salaries account for the largest portion at $485,000. Next on the list is contract work for the construction and repair of bridges in the county road system at $240,000. An additional $150,000 is budgeted for contract work on county roads.

White said this is money to be used on blacktop, big slide repairs or other big contract work that has to be let for bid.

“It is pretty close to last year,” White said the road department budget.

The ambulance service is fourth at $2.29 million, accounting for 14.82 percent of the budget.

As with other departments, salaries account for the largest expense at $850,000. Fuel is second on the list at $121,000.

White said the budget includes $100,000 for a new ambulance.

“It is one of the projects people will see,” White said.

White noted that each department has a contingency department to cover any shortfall. While not a set amount, the amount varies from department to department.

“County Treasurer Jeff Gray has an amount he likes to see in each contingency fund based on past experience,” White said.

Use of the contingency fund must be approved by the fiscal court.

White said if any department has a surplus, there are rules as to what may be done with it.

In July 2013, the county ended the year with a $378,000 surplus.

The fiscal court agreed to transfer that money over to the new fiscal year in a reserve account to be appropriated by the magistrates.

White said the county is on solid financial footing and there has been a steady trend of improvement over the last several years.

White noted more businesses are coming into Whitley County off of exits 11 and 25. Those businesses will result in more revenue for the county.

“I think things are looking well,” White said.