By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Strong sales tax revenue and reasonable budget requests have resulted in a healthy Wood County budget with 3% raises for employees.
On Thursday, the Wood County Commissioners approved $45.5 million in appropriations for 2020. That amount is lower than the appropriations for 2019 by nearly $1 million – the county’s share of the new voting equipment costs this past year.
The new budget will include 3% raises for approximately 1,200 employees in all the commissioners’ departments, as well as those in the prosecutor’s, recorder’s, court security and public defender’s offices for 2020.
All remaining elected officials and general fund departments will be given the equivalent of 3% raises to be distributed as the officials see fit.
Unlike previous year’s budgets, there were several requests for new employees in various offices. The total wages and benefits for the new employees add up to $256,317 out of the general fund. The positions approved are:
- Adult probation officer.
- Administrative assistant and service officer for Veterans Services.
- Warrant entry dispatcher for the Sheriff’s Office, with funding assistance from the Clerk of Courts.
- Detention officer for the Juvenile Court
- Entry level engineer for the County Engineer.
Like other governmental entities, the county commissioners’ office has been preparing for the 27th pay period which will occur at the end of 2020. The county has appropriated money annually to pay for this added expense that occurs every 11 years.
“A few years ago we started a fund to pay the costs,” Wood County Administrator Andrew Kalmar said. “So we are generally prepared.”
As for building issues, the county is facing two major projects – the renovation and expansion of the booking/medical areas and female housing at the Wood County Jail, and the replacement of the Wood County Highway Garage.
No money was allocated for either project, however, funding is available in the permanent improvement fund for architectural and engineering services in 2020, Kalmar said.
The process for the jail project is moving forward, but the highway garage project needs additional research, according to the budget overview.
The budget does includes several other projects to get permanent improvement funds, such as:
- $182,532 for remodeling of the Clerk of Courts Office, including realignment of space, furniture, carpet and painting.
- $87,000 for replacement of the chiller for the courthouse atrium.
- $67,000 for replacement of the boilers in the Juvenile Detention Center.
- $79,800 for an upgrade to the generator at the Juvenile Detention Center.
- $36,000 for an upgrade to the exterior lighting at the Dunbridge Road building.
- $139,455 for improvements to Courtrooms 1 and 2, including paint, carpet, electrical and restroom access modifications.
It helps that no elected officials made “outlandish” requests of the general fund,” said Wood County Commissioner Doris Herringshaw.
“I’m very pleased with what the elected officials gave us to work with,” Herringshaw said. “I think they all showed us a need.”
The county’s budget, and healthy sales tax revenue benefits all, Commissioner Ted Bowlus said.
“The financial position we are in benefits the whole county,” he said. “We’re fortunate to live in Wood County.”
