The Marshall County Council members held a final discussion on the proposed 2023 budget when they met Monday morning.
They had a few questions concerning an increase in the furniture repair line item in the Superior Court No. 2 budget which Judge Dean Colvin explained was an estimate for inflation and increased costs. An increase in funds for a bi-lingual interpreter in the court was also explained. Judge Colvin said there is a greater need for the employee to be present to interpret court proceedings to a defendant. The money would be disbursed as work is performed. The original amount requested was $5,000, but the council cut it to $4,000.
A $5,000 stipend for a position in Community Corrections and Superior Court No. 3 was discussed. Director Ward Byers explained that the funds were put in the budget just in case the extra was not approved by the Department of Corrections in the overall grant request. Byers said it could be stricken from the budget as the funds were granted by the state. He further explained that the stipend will be disbursed as needed to the employee doing work as a result of added duties.
Clerk Deb VanDeMark asked that $300 be added back into the budget in the training line item. She said it is easier to reimburse funds to an employee this way than having to ask for an additional appropriation which takes longer to reimburse. The council had cut training funds in most budgets. The council agreed to put the money back in the budget.
When all was concluded and all cuts decided, the council approved a motion to adopt the 2023 budget. The General Fund for 2023 now sits at $13,747,501 and the Special Funds total $18,915,119 for a total of $32,662,620.
Conservatively estimated General Fund revenues are expected at just over $13.4 million, with Special Funds revenues expected at just over $4 million.
They noted that it is a balanced budget and it is about $1 million less than the budget passed for 2022.
Along with the county budget, the council members also approved the WIC budget at about $217,000, the Marshall County Solid Waste District Budget at about $464,000 and the East Shore Conservancy District budget at nearly $367,000.
