Greene County Council Begins Budget Hearings

(BLOOMFIELD) - The Greene County Council will begin a three-day process today to trim the proposed 2012 budget.

About $400,000 will have to be culled from the proposed General Fund budget, said County Council President John Wilkes.

The total budget estimated for Greene County is $16,316,793 based on department budgets submitted. Within that total the General Fund estimate is $8,059,284.

Ben Roeger, the county's financial consultant from C.L. Coonrod & Associates, say the goal for the General Fund should be between $7,600,000 and $7,700,000.

Roeger said council members will have to do some cutting and one way is to address health insurance costs .

Wilkes said officeholders and department heads have all asked for more money. Some of them are small amounts 3 to 4 percent. Some requests are for election funds; 2012 is an election year.

Budget talks begin at 9 a.m. with a required public hearing. Following that individual officeholders will meet with the council in scheduled times to discuss their needs and to answer questions.

The hearings will be held in the 3-floor meeting room at the Greene County Courthouse and will continue until Thursday afternoon.

Print this story