Judge Judkins, commissioners discuss court budget

  Highland County commissioners Shane Wilkin, Gary Heaton and Tom Horst discussed budget concerns with Highland County Court/Madison Township Judge Robert Judkins and Clerk Ron Coffey at the July 21 board meeting.

   After the city of Greenfield’s decision to re-open the jail, Judkins informed commissioners that this would require that the court be open for

arraignments for two hours, from 8-10 a.m., on Fridays beginning the first week in August. This would require an additional $1,500 for court expenses

through the end of the year, the judge said, adding that the move would be a net savings to the county.

   Commissioners said they did not have the authority to increase the budget until the county’s anticipated revenue is realized.

   “Statutorily, I don’t think we can do it,” Commissioner Gary Heaton said.

   “I’m going to open the court for two hours on Fridays,” Judkins said. “This will put me at a deficit (for the first time in 27 years), but we can

transfer funds from elsewhere.”

   Commissioners agreed to review the court budget later in the year if the anticipated revenues exceed projections.

   “This is not your fault,” Commissioner Tom Horst told the judge. “You have the (mandate) but you don’t have the funds.”

   Commissioners discussed economic development funding possibilities with Gary Abernathy, from U.S. Sen. George Voinovich’s office, Wednesday.

Abernathy encouraged commissioners to work with Rafeal Underwood, the economic recovery coordinator for Highland, Clinton and Fayette counties.

Heaton expressed the urgent need for $1 million in funding for the Greenfield rail line renovations. The rail line is used by Huhtamaki and Candle-lite and had been used by Johnson Controls.

***

   Commissioners passed the following resolutions, all by 3-0 votes:

   • A modification to the General Fund and a transfer to Emergency Management as follows: modification from Attorney-Indigent Fees, to Advances

Out, in the amount of $628.01, and transfer from Advances Out to Emergency Management Agency, in the amount of $628.01. The advance is for payroll and

will be returned when grant funds are received.

   • The authorization of additional appropriation to the General Fund, Veterans Service Commission, as follows: from Unappropriated funds to

Veterans Service Commission, Travel, in the amount of $383.76. The Veterans Service Commission received a refund, due to a hotel reservation cancellation, which was paid from the Travel line-item.

   • Approved travel expense for Juvenile/Probate Court as follows for the Court Investigators Conference, Monday, Sept. 27 in Columbus: Registration,

$160; Room, $154; Mileage, $70, for an estimated total of $384. Expenses will be paid from the Indigent Guardianship Fund. No General Fund dollars

will be used.

   • Accepted a bid from Bob Evans Excavating for $20,688 for the FY09 CDBG Hillsboro Project - John Street Sidewalks. The Base Bid is $19,988 and the

Alternate Bid is $700.

   • Accepted the bid of Brown County Asphalt for $29,054.40 for the FY10 CDBG Clay Township Project - Ellis Road, as per specifications. The CDBG

Project amount is $25,000.

   • Accepted the bid of Miller Mason Company for the FY10 CDBG Paint Township Project - Fascination Way, as per specifications. The CDBG Project

amount is $65,000.

   • The authorization of additional appropriation to the Real Estate Assessment Fund as follows: from Unappropriated Funds to Salary Employees,

in the amount of $40,000; PERS, in the amount of $4,000; Other Expense, in the amount of $5,000; Health Insurance, in the amount of $11,000; Medicare,

in the amount of $1,300; for total additional appropriation of $61,300.

   • The authorization of a modification to the Prosecutorial Diversion budget as follows: from Salary Employees to Equipment, in the amount of

$15,904, and from OPERS to Equipment, in the amount of $2,226.16, and from Insurance to Equipment, in the amount of $4,404, and from Contracts/Services

to Equipment, in the amount of $4,000. Total additional modification to Equipment is $26,534.16.

   • The authorization of a modification to the Pre-Trial Supervision budget as follows: from Salary Employees to Equipment, in the amount of $28,224.81, and from OPERS to Equipment, in the amount $3,951.08, for total additional modification of $32,175.89.

   • The authorization of additional appropriation to the Community Probation Department Service budget and an advance to the Prosecutorial Diversion budget as follows: from Unappropriated Funds to Advances Out, in the amount of $1,000, and advance from Advances Out to Prosecutorial Diversion, in the amount of $1,000. The advance will pay expenses until grant funds received from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections.

  Highland County commissioners Shane Wilkin, Gary Heaton and Tom Horst discussed budget concerns with Highland County Court/Madison Township Judge Robert Judkins and Clerk Ron Coffey at the July 21 board meeting.

   After the city of Greenfield’s decision to re-open the jail, Judkins informed commissioners that this would require that the court be open for arraignments for two hours, from 8-10 a.m., on Fridays beginning the first week in August. This would require an additional $1,500 for court expenses through the end of the year, the judge said, adding that the move would be a net savings to the county.

   Commissioners said they did not have the authority to increase the budget until the county’s anticipated revenue is realized.

   “Statutorily, I don’t think we can do it,” Commissioner Gary Heaton said.

   “I’m going to open the court for two hours on Fridays,” Judkins said. “This will put me at a deficit (for the first time in 27 years), but we can transfer funds from elsewhere.”

   Commissioners agreed to review the court budget later in the year if the anticipated revenues exceed projections.

   “This is not your fault,” Commissioner Tom Horst told the judge. “You have the (mandate) but you don’t have the funds.”

   Commissioners discussed economic development funding possibilities with Gary Abernathy, from U.S. Sen. George Voinovich’s office, Wednesday.

Abernathy encouraged commissioners to work with Rafeal Underwood, the economic recovery coordinator for Highland, Clinton and Fayette counties.

Heaton expressed the urgent need for $1 million in funding for the Greenfield rail line renovations. The rail line is used by Huhtamaki and Candle-lite and had been used by Johnson Controls.

***

   Commissioners passed the following resolutions, all by 3-0 votes:

   • A modification to the General Fund and a transfer to Emergency Management as follows: modification from Attorney-Indigent Fees, to Advances Out, in the amount of $628.01, and transfer from Advances Out to Emergency Management Agency, in the amount of $628.01. The advance is for payroll and will be returned when grant funds are received.

   • The authorization of additional appropriation to the General Fund, Veterans Service Commission, as follows: from Unappropriated funds to Veterans Service Commission, Travel, in the amount of $383.76. The Veterans Service Commission received a refund, due to a hotel reservation cancellation, which was paid from the Travel line-item.

   • Approved travel expense for Juvenile/Probate Court as follows for the Court Investigators Conference, Monday, Sept. 27 in Columbus: Registration, $160; Room, $154; Mileage, $70, for an estimated total of $384. Expenses will be paid from the Indigent Guardianship Fund. No General Fund dollars will be used.

   • Accepted a bid from Bob Evans Excavating for $20,688 for the FY09 CDBG Hillsboro Project - John Street Sidewalks. The Base Bid is $19,988 and the Alternate Bid is $700.

   • Accepted the bid of Brown County Asphalt for $29,054.40 for the FY10 CDBG Clay Township Project - Ellis Road, as per specifications. The CDBG Project amount is $25,000.

   • Accepted the bid of Miller Mason Company for the FY10 CDBG Paint Township Project - Fascination Way, as per specifications. The CDBG Project amount is $65,000.

   • The authorization of additional appropriation to the Real Estate Assessment Fund as follows: from Unappropriated Funds to Salary Employees, in the amount of $40,000; PERS, in the amount of $4,000; Other Expense, in the amount of $5,000; Health Insurance, in the amount of $11,000; Medicare, in the amount of $1,300; for total additional appropriation of $61,300.

   • The authorization of a modification to the Prosecutorial Diversion budget as follows: from Salary Employees to Equipment, in the amount of $15,904, and from OPERS to Equipment, in the amount of $2,226.16, and from Insurance to Equipment, in the amount of $4,404, and from Contracts/Services to Equipment, in the amount of $4,000. Total additional modification to Equipment is $26,534.16.

   • The authorization of a modification to the Pre-Trial Supervision budget as follows: from Salary Employees to Equipment, in the amount of $28,224.81, and from OPERS to Equipment, in the amount $3,951.08, for total additional modification of $32,175.89.

   • The authorization of additional appropriation to the Community Probation Department Service budget and an advance to the Prosecutorial Diversion budget as follows: from Unappropriated Funds to Advances Out, in the amount of $1,000, and advance from Advances Out to Prosecutorial Diversion, in the amount of $1,000. The advance will pay expenses until grant funds received from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections.