County deficit projected for year end
By Kathleen Folkerth
DOWNTOWN AKRON — Summit County is projected to end the year just slightly over budget, with the high costs of utilities, supplies and employees for the county’s Board of Elections named as some of the reasons for the difference. Linda Phelps, director of finance and budget for Summit County Executive James McCarthy, presented an overview of the county’s financial shape during Summit County Council’s Finance Committee meeting Aug. 14. Phelps’ calculations show a projected negative balance of $122,558 by Dec. 31.
She said property tax revenues are up, as are property transfer tax revenues. Sales tax income, however, is lower than original projections. “The high cost of gas is taking more of the consumer’s dollar,” Phelps said. “There’s also a slowdown in the housing market, and it affects sales tax.”
As for expenditures, natural gas prices also hurt the county, but Phelps said one of the biggest problems this year is the cost of running the Board of Elections. She said the department is $800,000 over budget at this point.
She said she has met with
the board a few times but noted its 4 percent raises
(compared to all other county departments’ raises
of 3 percent) made matters worse.
“They need to come forward
with an appropriations increase,” Phelps told
the committee. “They need to talk to council.”
Budget issues with Summit County
Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh’s Child Support
Enforcement Agency (CSEA) also was mentioned as a drain
on county funds. Phelps said an impending internal audit
of CSEA should help determine where the problems are
in that agency, which might end up with a $1.3 million
shortfall for the year.
As for the future, Phelps said
one of the county’s pressing needs is jail beds
for female felons. A new animal control facility also
is needed.
Phelps said money troubles in
the next few years are expected to worsen, with housing
sales dropping and interest rates rising. She predicted
a $9 million deficit in 2010.
“We’re still asking
agencies to budget conservatively,” Phelps said.
She added that plans currently call for 3 percent raises
for employees next year.
In other business, the Planning,
Buildings and Economic Development Committee
recommended council approval of an agreement between
the county and Metro Parks, Serving Summit County for
290 acres in Tallmadge to be used as a new park. The
transfer of land would cost Metro Parks $1.
Metro Parks Director Keith Shy said
the agreement has been in the works for a number of years.
“The county park system
is the one who should make improvements to this land,”
Shy said.
He said the area features meadows
and “the nicest wooded area ... ideal for hiking
trails.”
“We want to preserve this
for generations to come,” Shy said.
Another proposal regarding Metro
Parks before committee hit some roadblocks. The issue
concerns 5 acres of park property in Goodyear Heights
Metro Park that the county proposed to use for the new
animal control facility.
About 30 Tallmadge residents,
who live in the Parkside Village condominiums across
the street from the proposed site, attended the meeting
in protest, along with Tallmadge Mayor Chris Grimm.
“I’m not sure anyone
in the room would want to live across the street from
a facility like this,” Grimm told the committee.
He added that the site
is wooded and would require the cutting down of trees
and the rerouting of some of the park’s trails.
It is also not centrally located, he added.
“It’s a poor location
as far as access to the expressway,” he said.
Most committee members expressed
they would not support the site, including Dan Congrove
(D-District 6), whose district includes the property.
The committee voted to keep the
legislation on time.
Also that evening, the Public
Safety Committee recommended approval of a request for
the Ohio Department of Transportation to conduct a speed
study on Wheatley Road in Boston and Richfield townships
between Interstate 77 and the Everett Road connector.
Andrea Wlaszyn, of the Summit
County Engineer’s Office, said because there is
no speed limit posted there, the speed is 55 mph.
“People are navigating
that roadway at whatever speed they’re comfortable
with, in some cases over 55 mph,” she said.
Council is scheduled to meet
Aug. 21 at 5:30 p.m. for caucus and 6 p.m. for the council
meeting in council chambers on the seventh floor of
the Ohio Building, 175 S. Main St.
with the board a few times but
noted its 4 percent raises (compared to all other county
departments’ raises of 3 percent) made matters
worse.
“They need to come forward
with an appropriations increase,” Phelps told
the committee. “They need to talk to council.”
Budget issues with Summit County
Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh’s Child Support
Enforcement Agency (CSEA) also was mentioned as a drain
on county funds. Phelps said an impending internal audit
of CSEA should help determine where the problems are
in that agency, which might end up with a $1.3 million
shortfall for the year.
As for the future, Phelps said
one of the county’s pressing needs is jail beds
for female felons. A new animal control facility also
is needed.
Phelps said money troubles in
the next few years are expected to worsen, with housing
sales dropping and interest rates rising. She predicted
a $9 million deficit in 2010.
“We’re still asking
agencies to budget conservatively,” Phelps said.
She added that plans currently call for 3 percent raises
for employees next year.
In other business, the Planning,
Buildings and Economic Development Committee
recommended council approval of an agreement between
the county and Metro Parks, Serving Summit County for
290 acres in Tallmadge to be used as a new park. The
transfer of land would cost Metro Parks $1.
Metro Parks Director Keith Shy said
the agreement has been in the works for a number of years.
“The county park system
is the one who should make improvements to this land,”
Shy said.
He said the area features meadows
and “the nicest wooded area ... ideal for hiking
trails.”
“We want to preserve this
for generations to come,” Shy said.
Another proposal regarding Metro
Parks before committee hit some roadblocks. The issue
concerns 5 acres of park property in Goodyear Heights
Metro Park that the county proposed to use for the new
animal control facility.
About 30 Tallmadge residents,
who live in the Parkside Village condominiums across
the street from the proposed site, attended the meeting
in protest, along with Tallmadge Mayor Chris Grimm.
“I’m not sure anyone
in the room would want to live across the street from
a facility like this,” Grimm told the committee.
He added that the site
is wooded and would require the cutting down of trees
and the rerouting of some of the park’s trails.
It is also not centrally located, he added.
“It’s a poor location
as far as access to the expressway,” he said.
Most committee members expressed
they would not support the site, including Dan Congrove
(D-District 6), whose district includes the property.
The committee voted to keep the
legislation on time.
Also that evening, the Public
Safety Committee recommended approval of a request for
the Ohio Department of Transportation to conduct a speed
study on Wheatley Road in Boston and Richfield townships
between Interstate 77 and the Everett Road connector.
Andrea Wlaszyn, of the Summit
County Engineer’s Office, said because there is
no speed limit posted there, the speed is 55 mph.
“People are navigating
that roadway at whatever speed they’re comfortable
with, in some cases over 55 mph,” she said.
Council is scheduled to meet
Aug. 21 at 5:30 p.m. for caucus and 6 p.m. for the council
meeting in council chambers on the seventh floor of
the Ohio Building, 175 S. Main St.
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