Auglaize appropriations up 3 percent for 2015

WAPAKONETA - Auglaize County's 2015 budget is 3 percent higher than last year's and includes funds for major repairs at the sheriff's office and a 2 percent cost of living raise for county employees.

Total appropriations for the combined general and special funds this year, which were approved by commissioners last week, are $55 million with anticipated total revenues set at $66.9 million.

The total revenues include a $22 million carryover from 2014. Final expenses for 2014 were $53.7 million.

General fund appropriations - $16.3 million - include $4.8 million for the sheriff's department, $2.7 million for various insurance costs and $1.2 million for building and maintenance. Total expected revenue for the general fund in 2015 is $18.5 million, which includes a $4.9 million carryover.

Auglaize County Administrator Erica Preston said budget planning went well and the commissioners did not need to reject any special funding requests.

"It was a very smooth process," she said. "Everyone was pretty static in their requests."

Additional requests made this year were $100,000 for new voting machines sought by the board of elections, increases across the board for equipment replacement costs and four new vehicles: one for the maintenance department, one for the coroner's office and two for Job and Family Services.

Required repairs at the sheriff's office include fixing or replacing pipes throughout the building. Sheriff Al Solomon said jail personnel discovered pipes collapsing in one area about a year ago and, upon further inspection, found cracking and other issues in many other pipes.

He said the issue is not normal wear and tear in the 17-year-old building, but the exact cause is uncertain.

Preston said about 15 percent of the problem was fixed in 2014. The remaining project this year will be paid through the county's permanent improvement fund, which is financed through a portion of county sales tax revenue. Commissioners deposit $58,000 of the tax each month into the fund.

The fund is reserved primarily for building maintenance, repairs and replacements, but Ohio Revised Code allows for some technology purchases. Preston said items purchased or repairs completed must have a useful life of at least five years to qualify for permanent improvement funds.

Solomon has no estimate or time table for the project. He said the cost depends on bid results and whether the pipes can be fixed or must be replaced. Timing depends on jail population and available space at neighboring county jails as some of the inmates will need to be relocated for some of the work, he said.

Employee raises were appropriated by commissioners as line-item increases. Each department was given a 2 percent increase into its budget; however, using the additional funding for pay raises is at the discretion of the department head.

Each employee in 2014 was given a different amount, depending on the results of an updated pay scale study completed in 2013. Commissioner John Bergman said some employees may have received a 3 percent raise, while others may have only received a 1 percent raise or nothing at all.

Commissioners gave an across-the-board raise in 2011 and 2 percent line-item raises in 2012 and 2013.