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Wasco County finance director reports April budget tracking; property taxes, investment gains and fair revenues noted
Summary
Finance Director Mike Middleton told commissioners on May 21 that Wasco County’s year-to-date finances are generally on track: investment earnings and unrealized gains boosted the general fund, property tax collections were at about 95% of budget, and some partner revenues (cell-phone tax) for 9-1-1 remain delayed.
Mike Middleton, Wasco County finance director, gave the board an April financial status update and answered commissioner questions about revenue timing and major funds.
Key takeaways
• Through April (month 10 of 12) the county’s straight-line benchmark would be about 83% of budget; non‑departmental revenues were at 85.1% of the year-to-date budget expectation.
• The general fund’s investment earnings were above budget (reported at about 114% of the target and described as roughly $823,000 in realized/recognized income), and unrealized gains added approximately $195,000 to the general fund in the month covered by the report.
• Property-tax collections were reported at about 95% of the annual budget; Middleton said the county expects additional receipts in July–August that will bring collections to budgeted levels.
• The Road Reserve Fund is funded mainly by interest; the county has spent reserves for equipment purchases, including a recent Cat loader purchase discussed elsewhere on the agenda.
• Departmental and special fund highlights: building‑permit revenues were strong because of large permits; public‑works revenues and expenditures are cyclical; fair‑park revenues were running ahead of expectations (departmental revenues ~120% of the fair fund budget and expenses ~85%), but a $574,000 grant for park construction has not yet been posted and skews comparisons.
• 9‑1‑1 departmental revenues were low year‑to‑date (57.8% of budget) in part because the state’s cell-phone tax receipts—expected quarterly—had not yet arrived; Middleton said finance staff would follow up with the state contact.
Why it matters: Middleton portrayed the county as broadly on track to meet budgeted targets while noting several timing items—investment posting delays, grant receivables and state distributions—that can distort month‑to‑month comparisons.
Staff answers and clarifications
When commissioners pressed about 9‑1‑1 shortfalls, Middleton said partner agencies were paying on schedule and the state cell‑phone tax receipts were late; finance will contact the state if receipts do not arrive soon. On sponsorships for the fair, Middleton described how the county treats sponsorship receipts received before a fiscal year as prepaid liabilities and recognizes the revenue on July 1 so the fair’s sponsorships appear in the fiscal year in which the fair occurs.
What was not decided
No board action was required; the presentation was informational and the board moved to other agenda items after discussion.
