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Belknap County projects modest surplus, delays three maintenance projects to cover shortfalls
Summary
Budget staff projected a $462,428 revenue surplus and identified expense pressures in contracted medical services and courthouse repairs. To cover shortfalls, the county postponed three capital or maintenance items: tree work, a carpet extractor purchase and parking-lot crack sealing and striping.
Laurie presented the county’s midyear financial update to the Belknap County Commissioners, saying the combined general fund and nursing-home revenues currently project a net revenue surplus of about $462,428 and that a handful of capital maintenance items are being postponed to offset projected shortfalls.
The update matters because the county must balance service and facility needs against limited operating reserves and specific grant or reimbursement timelines.
Laurie said the general fund and nursing-home revenue collection is still early in the fiscal year; interest earned has exceeded the budgeted $100,000 by $7,004.61. She reported projected surpluses: county attorney’s office $12,087 (open position), maintenance $6,300, sheriff’s department $4,800 (savings from favorable vehicle financing), and contracted nursing a projected $100,000 surplus due to hiring full‑time staff and reduced need for contract nurses. Corrections initially had a $200,000 deficit tied to a new Prime Care Medical contract and five open positions; Laurie said one position is expected to fill within a month and that dietary savings offset some of the deficit.
Laurie listed items placed on hold to cover shortfalls: tree-removal/trim work (estimated $5,000–$6,000), purchase of a carpet extractor (about $5,000), and parking-lot crack filling, seal coating and striping (about $26,000). She identified the tree work as the higher priority among the three because some trees are rotted and one overhangs County Drive and has been struck by trucks. “If any of these are ash trees, get them down,” Commissioner Hodges suggested, citing emerald ash borer risk.
Laurie said the nursing home projects a surplus driven by a higher private‑pay census and that nursing home rehab services are projecting a $30,000 deficit mostly due to health‑insurance cost allocations; she said that will be offset by the nursing home surplus as staff moves between departments. On cash position, she said the county has about $6.9 million cash on hand and is earning roughly 4.25% interest; nursing‑home accounts‑receivable collections included $15,000 from February 2024 and $3,000 from February 2023.
Laurie said courthouse repair and maintenance now shows an $11,000 projected deficit tied to a $10,000 change order on an ARPA-funded ERV project; she asked the facilities director John to be available to explain technical details of that change order. Commissioners asked follow-up questions about prioritization; Laurie recommended tree work as highest priority because of risk to structures and vehicles.
Discussion-only items included the timeline for some reimbursements and the collection of prior-year nursing home receivables. Direction: the finance staff placed three nonurgent projects on hold to cover the cited shortfalls and will continue to monitor collections and staffing changes that affect projections.
Ending: Commissioners thanked Laurie for the report and asked the facilities director to advise on any imminent safety risks related to trees or parking-lot conditions.
