The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Disagreements remain over funding for Henderson County Economic Development Corporation.
By David Grimes for The Quill
OQUAWKA - A red ink budget for fiscal 2003-04 was approved by the Henderson County Board Wednesday without any financial support for the newly formed Henderson County Economic Development Corporation.
Even after a request this summer by the board for county officeholders to pare their budgets by 10 percent, the budget remains $92,000 in the red.
But other issues have taken center stage along with the county's budget woes.
Economic Development Committee Chairman Tom Doran asked the board in July to provide financial support in "whatever amount it could afford" as a show of solidarity in trying to bring business into the county.
Doran was told the board supports the concept, but the finance committee would need to review the request and give Doran an answer at the September board meeting.
"There was no response (from the board) at the September meeting," Doran said earlier this month.
Finance Committee Chairman Gail Russell said at the board's first November meeting that there was no money available to contribute.
Neither Russell, who authored the 2003-04 budget, nor Doran voted to approve the tentative budget during that meeting.
Board Chairman Marion Brown said if the county should find extra money somewhere down the road, some could be allotted to economic development.
"But (with budget cuts made in other county offices), I think we would be remiss to take money and give it to something like economic development," he said.
"Everybody here is for economic development," said board member Albert Renken. "If things pick up in the future, maybe we can do something."
Board member Marty Lafary said he believes the board erred in neglecting to give the effort for economic development the time it deserves.
Lafary said he realized the county's financial situation, but at the same time asked, "Why can't we give them something?"
Lafary went on to say the people in the county who have volunteered their time to work toward the creation of the HCEDC "are pretty special people."
Lafary also defended the decision by Sheriff Mark Lumbeck not to trim his department's budget by a full 10 percent.
Because of 10 percent cuts by most county office holders, the courthouse will open an hour later each day, effective Dec. 1, changing from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The sheriff's department does not adhere to posted office hours but is a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week operation, Lafary pointed out.
"I called Warren County to compare what they're doing to what we have," Lafary said. "From what I've researched, it looks like our sheriff's department is doing pretty good. They're covering more area with seven deputies than Warren County does with 11 deputies."
Lumbeck's budget for the coming year is $521,065. The Warren County Sheriff's Department budget is $857,000.
Lafary said Lumbeck has done the best with what he has, in light of what he's heard.
"The story we've been hearing is that Mark wouldn't make the 10 percent cut," Lafary said, "and that wasn't really true."
Lumbeck said prior to Wednesday's meeting that $77,000 in cuts from his department's budget left no alternative but to begin cutting personnel, which he was not willing to do.
"I told them (the finance committee) that if they wanted to cut positions, that was their right. But I wasn't willing to do it for them," he said.
Lumbeck added that further personnel cuts would result in added expense to the county in overtime pay and prove to be counterproductive as far as saving money for the county.
The sheriff pointed out that three county villages - Stronghurst, Lomax and Oquawka - depend on contracted law enforcement through his office. Federal and state subsidies of $79,000 help pay for deputy salaries for those contracts.
Any personnel cuts would be reflected in the amount of coverage available for those villages.
Cuts from the sheriff's department budget - roughly two-thirds made by the county board's finance committee and one-third by Lumbeck - amounted to only 6 percent of the requested 10 percent.
At the county board's first November meeting, auditor Norm Underwood praised Lumbeck's frugality, saying the sheriff's budget was, "as lean as it can get."
Lafary asked if anyone can attend the finance committee meeting and ask questions.
"It's an open meeting," Brown said.
Lafary then asked when the committee is scheduled to meet next.
"We don't know. It might be April, it might be June or July," Russell said.
When Lafary finished, Brown asked Russell if he would like to respond to either of Lafary's concerns.
Russell replied "no," to both issues.