After a budget amendment hearing for the 2019 operating budget Monday morning, the Barton County Commission approved amendments that will allow for the current budget to cover the operating expenses for the General, Road and Bridge, Special Road and Bridge and Criminal Justice Information System funds. 

“Despite the efforts of elected officials and department heads, budget estimates must be adjusted so that funds fall within budgetary laws,” Finance Officer Matt Patzner said in presenting the proposed budget changes during the hearing. This is something that is done annually.

“We plan the best we can and things happen,” commission Chairwoman Jennifer Schartz said. The amendments will allow for the current budget to cover the operating expenses and possible transfers to reserves of unanticipated revenue.

Patzner stressed that this doesn’t lock the county into spending the additional money. This only provides the budget authority should the needs arise.

The funds and amounts include:

• General Fund – The General Fund amendment allows for the transfer of unanticipated revenue into reserve funds for future projects should they be deemed practical and necessary.

The the amendment is for $700,000. This brings the total in the allowed expenditures to $8,688,940.

This is the primary fund used by the county. This fund is used to record all resource inflows and outflows that are not associated with special-purpose funds. The activities being paid for through the general fund constitute the core administrative and operational tasks of the government entity.

• Road and Bridge – The Road and Bridge budget amendment allows for unanticipated revenue from state, federal and other sources to be used for aggregates and other consumable goods that are necessary for operations, as well as future road overlay projects that will be funded by Federal Funds Exchange money.

The amendment is for $280,000. This brings the total in the allowed expenditures to $5,152,745.

This fund covers all the standard road and bridge expenses and projects, such as resurfacing.

• Special Road and Bridge – The Special Road and Bridge amendment also allows for the transfer of unanticipated revenue into reserve funds for future projects should they be deemed practical and necessary.

The amendment is for $35,000. This brings the total in the allowed expenditures to $395,000.

This fund is money levied for the purpose of bridge replacement and bridge repair.

• CJIS/CAD - The Criminal Justice Information System budget amendment, allows unanticipated revenue and cash carryforward to be used for contractual service and server maintenance expenses, as well as a transfer of initial Global System set up costs into reserve funds.

The the amendment is for $89,500. This brings the total in the allowed expenditures to $123,500.

This is a non-tax levy supported fund.

This fund is designed to be a holding fund for the county’s and all participating cities’ share of the costs of the Criminal Justice Information System – Enterpol. 

The grand total of the four changes was $1,104,500.