BENTONVILLE -- Benton County's justices of the peace are looking for money in places they haven't traditionally considered. Tom Allen, justice of the peace, is asking that the county identify revenue sources not always included in the budget. The justices of the peace are working on the 2017 budget.
Allen, chairman of the Budget Committee, asked that the Sheriff's Office estimate revenue it expects to be generated by warrants officers it wants the Quorum Court to authorize. Sheriff Meyer Gilbert and Chief Deputy Shawn Holloway said, over time, the warrants officers could pay for themselves. Gilbert and Holloway initially indicated they would project two warrants officers would generate about $50,000 for the first year -- about half the amount they would cost the county in salaries and benefits.
Allen also asked the Road Department to estimate revenue it expects to receive from the sale of used equipment being replaced. He said revenue such as that, and the potential revenue from adding a building inspector position, needs to be included in the budget and allocated to specific needs instead of being accounted for at the end of the budget year as turnback money. Turnback money generally goes into reserve.
"Including it in turnback, to me, it's never really budgeted properly," Allen said. "It's revenue. We know we're going to get something in revenue from these sources. We need to see that in the budget."
Allen said the county would see less turnback money, which is largely money appropriated, but unspent during a budget year, by identifying these sources of revenue and budgeting them. At the most recent budget meeting, Brenda Guenther, comptroller, projected the county would see about $2 million to $2.5 million in turnback in 2017. Allen argued the county would have better control over finances by allocating the money during the budget process.
"If we take money out of these line items that traditionally aren't being spent and direct it to things we need, I think that's better budgeting," Allen said.
Shirley Sandlin, justice of the peace, said the county has handled turnback money in different ways over the years. For a time, she said, the comptroller estimated the turnback the county would receive and it was included in the revenue projection for the next year. She said that eased the budget process and avoided delaying some requests by the few months between the time the budget was prepared and the time the turnback finally was calculated.
"You would acknowledge the fact that there is going to be turnback so you don't cry, 'I'm starving' until it comes in," Sandlin said. "You know you're going to get it. If there's a need for it, why not go ahead and budget it?"
Barry Moehring, justice of the peace and county judge-elect, said he wants tighter budgeting, but sees the likelihood of money being unspent during the year as having some benefit, too.
"The interesting thing about turnback is that we all love it when we get it," Moehring said. "It's like an early Christmas in the first part of the year when we hear we're getting a million-and-a-half or $2 million in turnback. That's great. On the other hand, that's not good budgeting. If we get to the point where we have less turnover, but we're budgeting better, that's a better use of the county's funds."
Pat Adams, justice of the peace, said he isn't concerned with the amount of turnback the county sees every year. Adams said departments should use the money budgeted during the year without worrying about turnback.
"I'm more of a believer that, if we give them a budget at the beginning of the year, how they use it is up to them," Adams said.
Sandlin, who also served as assessor, said she wasn't reluctant to use money in her budget during the year if she saw a need. She said the Quorum Court should be mindful of the needs of elected officials and department heads.
"If they need a particular piece of equipment, they should be able to have the money transferred from one line item to another. Historically, I would go back and ask that the money be moved into an area where I could use it. That was not uncommon. In my case, it was usually computers. I knew I was going to need them, and if I have the money I'm going to go ahead and get it in place," Sandlin said.
County Budget
Benton County's justices of the peace are working on the 2017 budget. The Finance Committee will review the proposed budget in December before sending it on to the Quorum Court for approval.
Source: Staff report
General News on 11/23/2016