Fremont County moves to advertise balanced budget, sets reserves and adjusts program funding
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Summary
At a budget work session, commissioners agreed to advertise a balanced budget for public hearing, earmark roughly $1.04 million for cash reserves, reduce a proposed ambulance subsidy transfer to $500,000, and keep JTC/Cast program funding in the draft while scheduling more review in August.
During a Fremont County Board of Commissioners budget work session, commissioners agreed to advertise a balanced budget for the public hearing process and set aside about $1,041,005.90 in cash reserves while making several targeted funding adjustments.
The board directed staff to advertise the budget as balanced — with advertising to be filed by the 12th to permit a public hearing on the 23rd and adoption on the 24th — and to continue reviewing specific program funding and revenue projections before final adoption. Commissioners discussed reductions and restorations across multiple departments, funding for workforce programs administered through JTC/Cast, ambulance subsidy options and library cuts, and the impact of mineral tax true-ups on component units such as the local museum.
Key decisions and directions included reducing a proposed ambulance subsidy transfer from $650,000 to $500,000 to leave more in reserves, removing an administrative assistant line from the JTC transfer, and holding JTC/Cast program budget lines in the draft while seeking additional revenue and grant confirmations. Staff reported a current draft transfer to JTC of $162,007.48 after removing the administrative assistant line. The board left the overall JTC/Cast program funding in the advertised budget so the county could pursue available reimbursements and grants but agreed to re-evaluate the program in August, after a planned director transition.
Commissioners pressed staff on department-level details: the treasurer's office explained an estimated audit fee of $66,000 (an estimate pending an engagement letter) and described an open position that had been changed from part time to full time but remained vacant because an offer was declined. The board restored a number of previously proposed reductions — for example, some attorney staffing and benefits sums were returned to the attorney's budget — and agreed to ask departments for updated revenues and line-item details prior to final adoption.
The session included a detailed explanation of mineral tax and mill-levy volatility that affected component units. Staff said the museum's mill levy rose from about 0.594 mills to 1.702 mills in a true-up, creating an effective shift of roughly $300,000 in mineral-related revenue this fiscal cycle; staff noted the museum has accumulated about $88,000 in mineral taxes that might need to be repaid if its mill levy drops to 0 mills next fiscal year. The county will continue examining options to stabilize component-unit funding that fluctuate with mineral tax collections.
Commissioners and staff discussed several grant and revenue items the JTC/Cast program reported: an award letter from Riverton for $30,000, a federal grant for $83,040, and a $35,000 contribution referenced from another city. Staff said they will update revenue line items so the draft budget reflects newly confirmed funds. The board also agreed to advertise the budget with current estimates and revisit specific program funding and transfers during the August review and after the public hearing process.
The board concluded by authorizing staff to advertise the balanced budget and to return with updated revenues and more detailed department budgets in advance of final adoption.
