3. Preliminary budget approval - Laserfiche WebLink

CASSCOUNlY GOVERNMENT ..a.. Auditor Michael Montplaisir, CPA 701-241-5601 Treasurer Charlotte Sandvik 701-241-5611 Director of Equalization Frank Klein 701-241-5616 Box 2806 211 Ninth Street South Fargo, North Dakota 58103 Fax 701-241-5728 www.casscountynd.gov August 20, 2007 Board of County Commissioners Cass County Government 211 9th St. S. Fargo ND 58108 Re: Preliminary Budget Dear Commissioners: After your preliminary review of the 2008 budget, the county is in a good position at this point in the budget process. The budget is prepared on the basis of the mill levy staying at the 61 mills levied last year. We did some shifting around of the mill levy, moving ~ of a mill from the Social Service Fund to the General Fund and Y2 of a mill from the Emergency Fund to the General Fund. We still have expenditures over revenues in the General Fund of $465,000; however, we are projecting reserves in the General Fund of $1.3 million at the end of 2008 which is a little over 6% of the budgeted expenditures. The Social Services revenues and expenditures are virtually balanced-we are projecting a 2008 year end reserve of just over $1 million dollars, which is about 11 % of their budgeted expenditures. The Highway Fund levy is 10.25 mills, and is unchanged from the 2007 budget. We have a revenue budget of $11.2 million and an expenditure budget of$11.8 million with a projected 2008 year end reserve of $300,000. Highway Fund revenues and expenditures can vary greatly and projects can be delayed if needed, if either revenues do not come in as budgeted or if projects become more expensive than anticipated. For these reasons a lower reserve in this fund is manageable. Salaries: The Preliminary Budget contains a 2.3% Cost of Living Adjustment and normal step increases for employees. Total dollars for salaries in 2008 are budgeted at $17,800,000 compared to $17,000,397 for 2007 (after adjustment for Regional Child Support). This increase is 4.67% over the 2007 budgeted salaries for current employees. Benefits: The Heath and Dental Insurance benefits are in the budget with a projected 12% increase in costs. We have not received our renewal rates and they may be higher or lower than we have projected. We do have sufficient reserves in the Health Insurance Fund if the rates come in higher than estimated or the board can look at other plans at a later time to fit within the estimate. New Employees: There are a total of nine new employees in the budget; an attorney in the States Attorney's Office, a School Resource Officer and an Administrative Assistant in the Sheriffs Office, two Correctional Officers and a Work Release