Despite an unexpected increase in sales tax revenues, the new proposed county budget remains conservative in projecting growth for 2023.
Platte County commissioners met Tuesday, Jan. 17 and hosted a public hearing on the budget, followed immediately by the budget’s approval.
County auditor Kevin Robinson introduced the commission’s proposed budget, which was released late last year. Some adjustments were proposed, with Robinson also questioning some of the commission’s recommendations, including a line item for contract services, which commissioners increased from $5,000 to $50,000.
New presiding commissioner Scott Fricker said the commission expects to look at several things this year that may need outside consulting services and so thought it was best to increase that budget item. Robinson said he had no objection to that reasoning.
Robinson also noted significant increases to the sheriff’s budget, particularly involving pretrial services, transportation and prisoner boarding.
“The $100,00 addition to pretrial services was to do what is possible to reduce the jail population and the addition of $100,000 to the prisoner transportation line item is a show of support for the sheriff’s office and the need to pursue outstanding warrants and enforce the law as vigorously as possible,” Fricker said.
Robinson said he recognizes what Fricker is saying, but doesn’t believe the data available calls for an additional $100,000 to the transportation fund at this time.
The commission’s increases stood.
As required by the original agreement, Robinson requested commissioner consider reinstatement of allocations to cover the Zona Rosa parking garage bond payments.
District commissioner Joe Vanover said the commissioners have discussed the matter and intend to stay the course and not allocate payment funding for the Zona Rosa bonds.
Wage adjustments were also discussed. Robinson had called for across the board 6 percent adjustments to salaries but the commission instead proposed a 4 percent adjustment.
District commissioner Dagmar Wood said the county made the decision to absorb the 9 percent increase in health insurance which would help employees during “this economically challenging time.”
“This is the only place I’ve ever worked where a cost of living raise is not given,” said county employee Kari Knabe. “I’ve been surprised that the county hasn’t had the foresight to include cost of living increases into its budgets when smaller entities such as Platte City have done so for decades.”
She questioned how the county expects to attract and retain employees when it does not pay even as much as retail employers. She said the long-term employees who have stayed for decades have done so out of dedication to their jobs, but that dedication isn’t properly reimbursed.
She called the four percent wage increase proposed as a “slap in the face,” when inflation is at about nine percent.
“We did give a four percent wage increase to all departments and offices this year,” Fricker said, noting that the number came from comparisons with other local entities, such as Mid-America Regional Council (MARC). He said wage increases are not intended to keep up with inflation.