2019-11-14 Budget informtaional meetingBudget informational meeting – Special Meeting
November 14, 2019
Time
Present: Commissioner Jackson, Commissioner Stamper, Commissioner Fund, County Manager Erik
Martin, Budget Services Manager Becky Butler
Citizens Budget Committee members: Frank Corbin, Paul Crowner, Bill Kassen, Laura Berg, Bill Marshall,
Bill Serrahn
Guests: Dr. Lindsey Pollock, Linda Wood, Ron Averill, Ralph Mancini, Ed Fund
Recorder: Rieva Lester
Participants introduced themselves.
County Manager Erik Martin discussed the work that goes into the budget process as well as work being
done regarding strategic planning.
Becky outlined the budget timeline:
• May: Budget outlook, analysis and projections
• June: Set budget limitation, internal service rates
• August: Distribute call letter and budget worksheets
• September: Offices and departments submit preliminary requests
• October: Present preliminary budget to BOCC
• October: Meet with offices and departments
• November: Final review of changes and increase requests
• November: Final tax levy calculations
• December: Adopt final Budget and set Tax Levies
Becky and the group outlined challenges the county faces:
• Unfunded mandates – Commissioner Fund expanded on the frustrations the county faces
regarding unfunded mandates.
• Indigent defense – Commissioner Fund discussed the high costs associated with indigent
defense.
• Inmate medical care – Commissioner Fund discussed inmate medical care.
• Increased medical insurance premiums – Commissioner Jackson discussed changes the county
made in response to insurance premium hikes.
• Public disclosure costs – Commissioner Fund and Commissioner Jackson discussed the high costs
associated with vexatious requesters.
• Continued increases to state retirement.
• Decreases in investment interest income.
• Revenue limitations.
• Decrease in timber revenue – Commissioner Stamper discussed the challenges associated with
having the state manage the county’s timberlands. He discussed marbled murrelet protections,
forest board yields and Secure Rural Schools funding.
• Capital project costs / culvert replacements – Erik Martin discussed the high costs of maintaining
the county’s 120-plus buildings and vast acreage. Erik also outlined the extraordinary costs of
replacing culverts on county-owned roads.
Becky outlined the various fund types:
• The General Fund (Current Expense), which relates to non-restricted revenue such as property
tax and sales tax.
• Special revenue funds, which hold restricted revenue that is dedicated to a specific use and
usually cannot be used for operations in General Fund.
• Debt service funds, which are transferred from other funds depending on the type of debt.
• Capital funds, which are used to track capital projects such as buildings (REET revenue is mainly
dedicated to capital improvements).
• Enterprise funds, which are supported by fees from a business-type activity that cannot be used
for any other activity.
• Internal service funds, which include charges to other departments/offices for services provided
internally.
Becky outlined the additional funding requests offices and departments submitted for 2020.
She said the commissioners have approved the following requests, totaling $1,683,399, as of Nov. 13,
2019:
• Jail medical, prescription and prisoner supplies costs
• District Court Probation Officer
• Auditor finance system maintenance
• Court Commissioner salary increase
• Superior Court Indigent Defense Fees
• Lewis County Seniors – Nutrition Support
• Drug Court program housing and defense costs
• Mental Health prescriptions – LC Jail
• Increase salary for Juvenile Administration
• Prosecutor interpreters, and operations related to increased caseload
• Public Health Officer contract
• Animal Shelter spay and neutering fees
• Commercial vehicle enforcement truck and equipment
Becky reviewed some of the cost-saving measures the county already has implemented, including the
following:
• Reducing staffing in 2009.
• Transitioning Senior Services to a nonprofit in 2018.
• Moving to PEBB employee medical in 2018 to avoid the significant increase in WCIF rates.
• Decentralizing Fiscal Services and eliminating an administrator position.
• Amortizing annual leave payouts before rehiring.
• Deferring building maintenance and capital projects.
• Reviewing grants and other funding opportunities.
• Sharing WSU Extension director with Cowlitz County.
Becky recapped some of the biggest impacts on the General Fund reserves:
• Inmate medical costs.
• Indigent defense costs.
• Labor agreements.
• Continued restrictions on the ability to collect fines and fees in the courts.
• Employee medical costs.
• State retirement increases.
• Public disclosure management costs.
• General liability insurance increases.
• Reduced timber revenue.
• Reduced investment interest income.
Meeting adjourned at 7:10 p.m.