PORT ANGELES — Clallam County officials will tackle a projected $481,787 budget shortfall in the coming months to balance the books for 2015.
The three commissioners also will consider some $1.1 million in departmental requests for new spending as the annual budget process ramps up.
County Administrator Jim Jones presented a preliminary budget to commissioners Tuesday.
The preliminary budget projects $31 million in general fund revenue for 2015, down from a projected $32.8 million this year, because of state cuts and slightly lower projected sales taxes and public timber sales.
“The big changes in revenue are in the Assessor’s Office, Community Development, sheriff operations, Health and Human Services, Juvenile Services and Superior Court, mostly due to the anticipated cuts from the state in grants and contracts for services,” Jones said.
“In other funds, it must be noted that the road department is also projecting the first of several years of declining revenue from $13.9 million projected for this year to $12,748,947 for 2015, again projecting state and federal project reimbursements to be down significantly, but also a reduction in gas taxes collected.”
General fund expenses are also projected to decline in 2015, from $32.7 million this year to $31.5 million next year.
The preliminary 2015 budget assumes most hourly workers will remain at 37.5 hours per week and will receive a 1 percent cost-of-living raise in January and another 1 percent raise in July.
It assumes no staff reductions as a result of the revenue hits.
The preliminary budget spends $12.9 million and uses $10 million in loan proceeds for the Carlsborg sewer project in 2015.
Jones said it would “take a lot of good luck to realistically get that much done during the first year.”
The Clallam County charter requires a preliminary budget.
It projects that the county will end this year with a “pretty healthy” general fund reserve of at least $11 million, $7.5 million of which is restricted, Jones said.
The three commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to accept the preliminary budget, which is available at www.clallam.net under “Budget and Finance.”
Jones and Budget Director Debi Cook will meet with elected officials and other department heads later this month to discuss their requests and individual budgets.
Commissioners will conduct a series of public budgets meetings with those officials Oct. 27, 28 and 30.
Commissioner Jim McEntire said he is inclined to rule out new budget requests unless they come with a corresponding reduction in departmental expenditures or new revenue.
“We’re going to be looking at probably in the neighborhood of about a half-million-dollar hole that we’ve got to fill,” McEntire said.
“Anything that’s a new start probably ought not happen unless we’ve got a way to pay for it.”
Jones will present a balanced recommended budget to commissioners Nov. 18, according to the budget calendar.
Two budget hearings will be held Dec. 2, and commissioners will adopt a final budget no later than Dec. 9.
Norma Turner of Port Angeles on Tuesday endorsed a $58,701 budget request from Juvenile Services for a Court Appointed Special Advocates volunteer coordinator.
“I know how important that program is for our children to have a true voice in the legal system,” Turner said.
She also testified in support of Health and Human Services’ requests for Woman, Infants and Children program funding and an expanded syringe exchange program.
After noting a disparity between public health and law enforcement spending, Turner pitched the formation of a commission to address redundancies, legislative constraints and sources of funding for law enforcement.
“I think there’s probably a lot of wiggle room out there in the amount of money you’re spending,” she said.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
