11/23/1993 - Laserfiche WebLink

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F,",_ NOV 23 1993 BOOK Ni GE 50 Sheriff Wheeler contended that his request was based on the fact that $17,000 invested in equipment would provide the County 36,000 hours of labor. The equipment allows the prisoners to work more efficiently for the County. Commissioner Macht asked OMB Director Joe Baird whether we have the money for this request. Director Baird stressed that this is an extremely tight budget year. The General Fund contingency balance started out at approximately $700,000. We have had budget amendments and the current contingency balance in the General Fund is $643,632. However, the taxable value dropped $236,958. If the Sheriff's requests for equipment and the supplemental hiring grant, which is the next item on the agenda, are approved, that would bring the General Fund contingency down to $356,459; and we must have $259,000 to close out the books at the end of the fiscal year. Chairman Bird admitted that he preferred not to spend $17,000 on equipment. However, he considered this a prudent and worthwhile investment of $17,000 to accomplish several hundred thousand dollars' worth of free labor. Commissioner Tippin saw good points in the arguments of both Commissioner Adams and Chairman Bird. He suggested the Sheriff coordinate with the new Director of Parks and Highway Maintenance to eliminate duplication of work and to see whether that department has a lawn mower or other equipment available for use in the Sheriff's program. Sheriff Wheeler acknowledged he has not been in touch with the new Director of Parks and Highway Maintenance, but his jail administrator coordinates with the Road & Bridge Department and other County personnel in relation to clearing out ditches and scheduling the work. He viewed it as a responsibility of the Board of County Commissioners to supply this equipment because the Sheriff's Department supplies supervision of the prisoners while they are working on these projects. He simply was requesting equipment from the Board to assist in doing a more efficient job. Commissioner Macht asked if the Sheriff could do with less equipment, or possibly trade in old equipment, and whether some of the present equipment could last until the next budget cycle. Sheriff Wheeler responded that there was not much trade-in value in the old equipment, and they did not plan to dispose of the old equipment and purchase all new equipment. His goal is to get more equipment, and if it can be done through the County's purchasing department at a lower cost, obviously that is better. He did not want the discussion to become adversarial when he was simply asking for support from the Board for a positive program. 14