Kane Co. finance committee to talk budgets with elected officials

Kane County government officials who haven't detailed how they will cut their budgets 5.5 percent this year will be asked to explain themselves Aug. 4.

The county board finance committee, at the request of board Chairman Karen McConnaughay, decided Monday morning to conduct a day of hearings with officials such as the sheriff, county clerk, state's attorney and public defender. Department heads were asked earlier this year to cut their 2009 budgets 5.5 percent in midyear, so the county could avoid a second year of deficit spending. Cheryl Patelli, finance director, projects the county will be $2.3 million over budget for its general fund if it keeps on spending like it has.

The county has about $16.5 million in reserves, but committee member Catherine Hurlbut took issue with those who think it is OK to keep dipping in to that. "It is not a rainy-day fund," she said, after Patelli explained the reserve provides a cushion to the county to continue to pay bills and payroll even when expected revenue (such as state reimbursement) is late. (Committee member Gerry Jones said state reimbursement for probation officer salaries is nearly eight months behind.)

The county promises to keep about three months' worth of general fund expense money in reserve, in exchange for a good rating when it goes to borrow money. The better its bond rating, the less interest it has to pay.

Next Tuesday the committee can ask Clerk Jack Cunningham, for example, how he thinks his budget for contractual services and commodities will be over budget by $1,851 at the end of the year when he is $36,000 over budget as of June 30.

Or they can press the sheriff for exactly what he's going to do to spend $589,878 less than his budget.

The hearings begin at 8:30 a.m. in the board room in the Kane County Government Center, 719 S. Batavia Ave. (Route 31), Geneva.

The committee also learned Monday that sales tax revenue dropped more than it was expected to in July (on May purchases). The receipts were down more than 20 percent compared to the same month in 2008. Further, the recorder of deeds office is on track to take in nearly one-third less in document-recording and revenue stamp fees this year.

Of elected officials, Recorder of Deeds Sandy Wegman and Coroner Charles West are projected to be at or below budget at the end of the year.