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Scotts Bluff County staff warn of tighter budget next year; preliminary levy meeting set for Aug. 26
Summary
County staff reported fund balances, the recent use of ARPA funds and constraints on how much property-tax authority the county can request; staff recommended limited new projects and scheduled budget hearings and a preliminary levy allocation meeting.
County staff told commissioners the county’s available fund balance has fallen as ARPA funds and capital-improvement reserves were used, and they urged caution for next year’s budget. Management accountant Lisa presented fund-balance figures, explained that ARPA project money is largely spent and said the county’s general-fund reserves have declined from about $2.8 million to roughly $2.4 million (figures provided in meeting materials).
Lisa said last year’s total property-tax ask was about $14.17 million; her preliminary calculations using current growth and an inflation index produced a notional ceiling near $14.95 million for the county’s tax ask under current state formulas. She told the board that staff’s current combined budget inputs — before applying constrained levy authority — produced an initial total near $19 million, which she said cannot be sustained given statutory levy limits. Lisa recommended commissioners plan conservatively: maintain payroll obligations, limit new projects unless alternate funding is identified and use available capital-improvement funds sparingly.
Commissioners set meeting dates for budget hearings: the county advertised sessions on Aug. 7–8 and Aug. 11–13 (afternoons/evenings as published) for department presentations, and they set a preliminary levy-allocation meeting for Aug. 26 at 4:30 p.m. County staff said the Assessor will provide updated valuations around Aug. 20 so staff can prepare a preliminary levy resolution.
Commissioners and staff discussed practical steps: ask department heads for conservative budget proposals, identify nonrecurring revenue sources that should not be counted toward ongoing spending, and consider cautious use of statutory exceptions for one-time items (staff cautioned that exceptions can create higher levy authority one year and force reductions the next). The board gave staff direction to prepare preliminary numbers for the Aug. 26 meeting and to invite department leaders as needed for the advertised budget sessions.
