BENTON - Scott County's budget for 2004 will include a raise for county employees, but officers will do without.
Scott County commissioners approved the county's 2004 budget during their regular meeting Tuesday following an open hearing for the budget.
In her budget message delivered as budget officer for the county, County Clerk Rita Milam said budgeted expenditures from the general revenue fund for this year will include funds for courthouse improvements such as new wiring and heating and cooling units.
Projected revenues for the general revenue fund are $3,607,993.50. Actual revenues in 2003 were $3,497,930.36.
Total expenditures for the fund in 2004 are budgeted at $4,173,647.50. In 2003, $3,417,369.22 in expenditures were made.
Last year the county managed to bring in $80,000 more that it spent, Presiding Commissioner Martin Priggel said, and once again Scott County officials are "making every effort to live within our means here."
Both estimated revenues and expenditures for the Law Enforcement Fund are lower in 2004 than last year.
With the new jail open, equipped and in full operation, the need to house prisoners in other county jails on a daily basis is no longer necessary, Milam explained in her budget message.
As the county received Federal Emergency Management Agency funding to repair damage from heavy rains and storms in 2003, estimated revenues for the Road and Bridge Fund are lower in this year's budget.
Expenditures for this fund are higher than in 2003, however, "because of bridge replacements and other costly repairs," according to Milam.
The Assessment Fund's expenditures and revenues will be the same as general revenue will pick up the difference from state parcel reimbursement cutbacks.
Milam ended her message by crediting elected officials and their staffs as having "once again done their part in performing their duties at the lowest cost possible."
The budget includes raises for employees averaging around 3 percent, according to commissioners.
"The office holders here have not had a raise in five years," Priggel noted, "but we feel like, if at all possible, the employees deserve at least a little raise each year to keep up with the cost of living increases."
The county prosecutor's salary did increase within the last couple of years but it was due to the position changing from part time to full time, not a salary increase.
Commissioner Walter Bizzell commented on the ending fund balances by noting cash available in the general revenue fund as of Dec. 31 was $1.24 million, "Which is good for us because we lost so much sales tax in the south of Sikeston. We really depend on sales tax."
In other county news:
* Commissioners will open bids at 10 a.m. Tuesday for additional security cameras and monitors for the courtrooms and jail.
Jim Schwaninger, county economic developer, said because the video arraignment bids came in lower that expected, Missouri Department of Public Safety officials approved the purchase of the cameras and monitors with the unused DPS grant funds.
* Schwaninger advised commissioners the Bootheel Regional Planning Commission needs a report on expenditures for the Highway 266 paving project through December.
The report is "to make sure we were meeting the conditions of our (local) match," Schwaninger explained.
* Commissioners discussed a meeting scheduled for 3:30 p.m. today in Cape Girardeau for a proposed ethanol plant on the Cape Girardeau County side of Nash Road.
"It's not a full-blown co-op but they are allowing farmers to invest in it," Schwaninger said.
* A county resident was advised by commissioners that he should now contact Scott County Consolidated Drainage District 2 board members for concerns regarding beaver dams in a ditch near his land as it is now within the recently-formed district.
Commissioners also advised checking with the Delta Center in Portageville which offered beaver dam removal services without any charges. "That was last year - I'm not sure if he's still there," Priggel said.
The district's Board of Commissioners are: Bob Laseter, Doug Beggs, Robin Burger, Mark Stallings and James LeGrand.
* County Road and Bridge Department crews began spreading salt and sand mix on county roads Monday, according to Priggel.
* The bid for the replacement of a bridge on County Road 353 near Lusk Chapel was awarded Thursday to the low bidder, H&H of Dexter, which offered to complete the job for $45,484.
Also bidding were Penzel Construction of Jackson for $129,465 and Stevedores of Scott City for $71,764.