| By Bob Weaver
Calhoun commissioners will be scrambling during March to put together a 2010-11 budget, facing new state mandates and a decline in revenue flow.
The commission has scheduled at least three budgeting sessions.
State revenues, some of which filters to counties, are down by 10%, and Gov. Joe Manchin has asked state agencies to cut their budgets 3.4%.
Counties are facing an increase on July 1 from 11% to 17% with contributions for employee retirement benefits. Calhoun must come up with about $60,000.
Kanawha County officials are moving $1 million into the general fund so they can make payroll in the coming month.
The commission, during the current fiscal year which started in July, has been in a belt tightening mode, approving few new expenditures or additional budget requests.
The WV Association of Counties has warned that counties will be facing some tough times during the next two fiscal years.
BUDGET PROBLEMS AFFECTING REQUESTS
This week the commission partially approved Sheriff Allen Parsons request to move deputy Jeff Starcher from full-time to part-time.
The commission approved the part-time request, expressing regrets over the cut-back, saying deputy Starcher's position had not been requested by the sheriff in his annual budget.
The commissioners took time to commend deputy Starcher for his law enforcement performance.
Sheriff Parsons had requested Starcher be paid at the same $10 hourly rate, with the commission saying the county employee handbook says a part-time deputy can receive no more than $8, with the deputy civil service rate no longer applying.
The commission had declined the sheriff's request to hire a PRO officer at Calhoun Middle-High School, a fourth deputy hire, because of unbudgeted concerns attached to the grant funded position.
BUDGET PROBLEMS HAVE SURFACED
When commissioners completed the 2009-10 budget, they were faced with the loss of $45,000 from the state's synfuel tax and a 12% increase in health benefits.
The increased insurance costs meant that county employees have had their pay reduced.
Last year, the county's elected officials, stepped to the plate, reducing their budgets by 2%.
There were mandates to pay for computer networking and programming, amounting to $30,000, among other increased costs.
Calhoun commissioners have been holding the line over new expenses, recently not approving one-time Christmas bonuses to county employees.
Commissioners have said it is unfortunate not having extra money to actually help local projects or causes, or money to match government grants.
A WARNING HISTORY
A few years ago, unpredictability, the county faced a serious financial crisis after several mandates and a slow-down in cash receipts, nearly going under over a mere $50,000.
Elected officials, aware of the critical problem, made layoffs and county commissioners declined their monthly checks so employees could get paid.
Commissioners are required by law to balance the county budget within 3%, or the State of West Virginia can seize the commissioners property.
State and federal officials are not held to such standards and can deficit spend.
| 
