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County fiscal office reports $56M spent in 2024, reserves near 93 days; 2025 budget higher by about $4.5M
Summary
Franklin County fiscal staff told commissioners that 2024 results are largely final and that the county ended the year with roughly $15.6 million in reserves (about 93 days of operating expenses). Staff said the 2025 general-fund budget is about $60.5 million, roughly $4.5 million higher than 2024.
Franklin County’s fiscal staff presented year-end 2024 results and a year-to-date review through February 2025 at the May 1 commissioners meeting, reporting reserves of about $15.6 million and several budget variances related to capital projects.
Fiscal staff said 2024 revenues totaled roughly $55.7 million and total expenditures were about $56.0 million of a $61.3 million budget, leaving a net use of reserves of approximately $330,000. That left the county with about 93 days of general-fund operating reserves at year end, above the county’s self-imposed 60–90 day guideline.
The fiscal presentation highlighted several specifics: property-tax revenue outperformed budget at about 101 percent; interest income outperformed the conservative budget estimate (about $2.2 million in interest earned during 2024); and transfers to other operations were below budget because capital projects did not occur in 2024. The fiscal office said the 9-1-1 and hazmat transfer was low chiefly because budgeted capital did not occur and because a state-set 9-1-1 surcharge on phone bills increased during the year.
For 2025 through February, fiscal staff reported the county had recognized a small portion of the general-fund revenue budget (about $1.3 million of a $54.3 million budget, roughly 2.4%) and had spent about $8.8 million of a $60.5 million general-fund expenditure budget (about 14.5%). Staff said general fund transfers are tracking and there were no current concerns.
Commissioner discussion stressed the importance of maintaining the county’s 60–90 day reserve target. A commissioner noted that if the county spent the full 2025 budget without additional savings, reserves would decline from approximately 93 days to about 68 days.
Provenance: fiscal presentation and Q&A are recorded in the meeting transcript.
