Kane County Clerk's office quizzed about budget increase request

Fresh out of the frying pan for being one of the primary reasons the county finished 2008 in the red, the Kane County Clerk's office thrust itself back into the fire Wednesday by informing a county committee it needs more money only a couple months into the fiscal year.

Chief Deputy Clerk Jay Bennett informed the Public Service Committee the clerk's office needs $150,000 or it will likely run over budget this year. That amount is tied to the costs of primaries in the city of Elgin and Dundee and Elgin townships.

"We're watching the budget as best we can," Bennett told the committee. "That's why we're bringing this forward."

Committee members asked why Clerk Jack Cunningham did not include the amount in the budget plan if he knew it could be an expense. Bennett said part of the reason is because County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay directed departments to trim budgets this year.

"We had to reduce our budget, and this has been removed every time and put back in (the budget) every time since I've been here," Bennett said.

The committee passed the request on to the Finance Committee where the request is likely to get grilled again.

The Public Service Committee also questioned the use of the early voting mobile unit for the current election season. At a cost of about $350 a day, the unit accounted for 20 early ballots cast last weekend. Bennett said the unit was much busier for the presidential election, and said the unit is being used to gather data about which elections generate the most need and use of the mobile voting site.