New Judge-Exec. says cuts to county budget, not new taxes, will be needed

Whitley County’s financial outlook isn’t looking too bright, but newly appointed Judge-Executive Burley Foley says the county isn’t looking at additional taxes to cover it, however, some cutbacks might be necessary.
“I don’t want to cut any people. I have told the employees I don’t want to cut any people, but I can’t promise that won’t happen. I am going to balance the budget. If I have to cut people that is what I am going to do. My goal right now is not to do that, and we see some potential not to do that,” Foley said. “I am not looking at another tax increase.
“We are still in a deficit, and we will be in a deficit for a little while. What I am trying to do right now is cut costs. I am trying to organize maybe some better buying practices, and maybe to buy in bulk to get better prices. We are without question in a deficit that is our biggest problem at hand. My total focus right now is the deficit.”
Foley said the deficit is large, and that he won’t be exactly certain the amount until he sorts through everything. Through the first six months of the fiscal year, he estimates that the county racked up about a $350,000 deficit including a nearly $300,000 deficit racked up while the jail was closed earlier this year.
“We have to get our hands around it,” Foley said. “I’ve met with the folks in each department to make sure they are complying with the budget we set to get us in there. What I am doing right now is going through each of those department budgets to make sure they comply with that. This is where we have to start.”
During Thursday’s special called meeting, the fiscal court voted to transfer $10,000 from the general fund to the jail fund to help cover jail expenses, and for the transfer of up to $40,000 more to cover payroll expenses in January.
Foley said the transfers were not routine, and were made to cover expenses at the jail, which is operating with a deficit after being forced to close for nearly three months earlier this year.
“It is improving. We are getting monies in, but we took a $297,000 loss when the jail was closed that is the biggest reason we are behind at the jail. As that thing fills up, we are going to continue to put less out of the general budget into it,” Foley said. “Every day the revenue situation is improving, but it is going to take some time to make the ground up.”
He said the jail will be opening up a section soon, which has been closed since it re-opened, that will house 32 class ‘D’ felons for the state, which will generate additional revenue for the jail.
“The key to it is to get that thing up to 150 beds so it is kind of self sufficient, if that is the magical number. We are still trying to get our arms around it to make sure it is,” Foley said. ”
Foley said there are still a lot of unknowns that the fiscal court is dealing with, such as exactly how much occupational tax revenue will be brought in, and how much property tax revenue will come in.
“It is not business as usual any more. I am scrutinizing every penny that goes out of this office,” he added.
Also during Thursday’s special called meeting, the fiscal court transferred the county’s performance bond over from Mike Patrick’s name to Burley Foley’s name. Similar bonds also cover the county treasurer and various other officials, and protect the county in the event of financial loss due to theft by a covered official.
Authorized replacing Patrick’s signature with that of Foley’s on county bank accounts.