Okanogan County finance officials said they are preparing supplemental budget actions to shore up near-term cash needs and to complete a BECCA-related transfer for juvenile services.

County Auditor Carrie Volk and Treasurer Pam Johnson reviewed year-end carryover numbers and told committee members they expect to prepare a supplemental appropriation from current-expense reserves if January actuals show revenue shortfalls. Johnson proposed drafting a supplemental of about $500,000 to be advertised for public hearing in February; she said the supplemental could be adjusted downward at the hearing if January revenues reduce the need.

The meeting also covered a transfer tied to the county27s BECCA juvenile program. Treasurer Johnson said a transfer of approximately $397,597 will be recorded, and staff will route the money within the juvenile revenue and expenditure sections to close out accounting for prior-year items; the treasurer added that smaller cash-on-hand amounts (for example, $30,860.73 in one referenced line) will be zeroed out in the process.

Jail medical funding and other liabilities

Committee members discussed jail medical costs and whether the county will continue paying those expenses. Officials referenced ongoing legislation and earlier actions and said jail medical responsibility is expected to revert to the state in midyear under proposals discussed in Olympia — "if it goes through session," staff cautioned. No final state action was recorded during the meeting, and county staff said they will not assume the reversion until state legislation is final.

Other finance items

- The county reported higher-than-expected beginning fund balances in a number of funds when staff completed year-end cash reconciliations, but some capital projects (for example, building repairs and roofing) will require supplemental transfers to fund work that was not completed as anticipated.

- The auditor said the county had submitted unaudited financial statements and that the state auditor's exit review had not yet been scheduled; county finance staff said they have followed up several times with the state audit team.

Quotes

"I would propose we put together a supplemental, but we do not advertise it…so that we know, we can get the financials in from January to know where our revenue kind of sits," Pam Johnson, Okanogan County Treasurer, said when describing next steps.

Next steps

County staff said they will draft supplemental materials and, barring improved January receipts, advertise a public hearing for mid-February. Staff will also prepare the BECCA transfer documents and finalize the juvenile revenue accounting entries. Officials said they will monitor state legislative action on jail medical funding and revisit county liability if the state enactment is confirmed.

Ending

Treasurer and auditor staff will return to the committee with finalized supplemental language and the BECCA transfer; the committee asked staff to wait until early February actuals arrive before finalizing the public-notice amount so the advertised supplemental can be reduced if revenue receipts improve.