Cowlitz County finance staff report multiple health and human services funds ending 2024 with healthy balances

Cowlitz County finance director Kathy Funk Baxter reported on the county’s Health and Human Services-related funds at a budget management review, saying the materials were dated Jan. 16 and show actuals through Dec. 31, 2024.

Her presentation covered the Veterans Relief Fund, multiple human services funds (including substance-abuse and developmental-disabilities related accounts), the behavioral and mental health sales-tax fund, the county health department, low-income housing funds and opioid settlement proceeds. “This is our revenue comparisons,” Funk Baxter said when introducing the Veterans Relief Fund data.

The Veterans Relief Fund received slightly more property-tax revenue than budgeted: budgeted property-tax revenue was $218,835 and actual property-tax revenue was about $228,629 — nearly $10,000 above estimate. Investment (miscellaneous) income for that fund was under budget in the report, which Funk Baxter cautioned could reflect accruals still to be recorded. She also said a prior decision to bill Veterans Relief administrative overhead back to the general fund has not yet been fully accrued and suggested the advisory board…