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County finance staff urged to produce year-end forecasts after committee sees large gap between revenues and expenses
Summary
Finance committee members reviewed a budget-summary spreadsheet showing a year-to-date revenue/expense gap and directed departments to forecast remaining-year activity so the committee can better assess cash flow and options before finalizing budgets.
Committee members on Oct. 14 reviewed a new budget-summary spreadsheet staff prepared and asked department heads to provide projections for the remainder of the fiscal year to create a period-13 forecast that shows expected year-end revenues and expenses.
Mister Abbott (committee member) highlighted the worksheet's year-to-date figures: the committee saw year-to-date revenue of roughly $26,000,005 and expenses of about $31,000,211, producing a year-to-date deficit of about $4.6 million. Abbott urged departments to forecast remaining receipts and expenditures for October and November so staff can prepare a cash-flow picture for the rest of the year.
Staff and members discussed a recurring reporting issue: certain revenue receipts are held in department-specific accounts (for example, the sheriff's commissary and boarding revenue) and are deposited to the general fund only at year end. Those specialty accounts are audited, but they do not appear in general-fund revenue month-to-month until transferred. "If we could just use this and then...in period 13 is where I'll plug that $600,000 in," Stephanie (staff) said, referring to anticipated sheriff boarding revenue.
Why it matters: Accurate year-end forecasts will help the committee identify realistic revenue expectations and prioritize cuts or transfers to avoid structural shortfalls.
Next steps: Departments will submit forecasts for the remainder of the year; staff will prepare a period-13 forecast to be reviewed at the upcoming finance meetings and will propose possible controls to address the revenue/expense gap.
