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Geary County finance staff report general fund, ARPA and sales-tax positions in good order
Summary
County finance staff said routine cash flows and reserves are healthy at 25% through the fiscal year, ARPA reporting is closed and sales-tax receipts are ahead of last year; staff flagged timing variances in department spending but no immediate budget threats.
Geary County finance staff delivered an update to the Board of Commissioners showing routine timing-driven variances across departmental budgets, a closed ARPA reporting period and sales-tax receipts that are modestly ahead of last year.
Finance staff reported countywide spending and revenues about 25% into the year. Building maintenance had a $705,005.38 ending cash balance after an initial $250,000 transfer earlier in the year and $47,003 in expenditures recorded in the report. Capital improvement project (CIP) cash flows were described as healthy after taking out reserve funds and approved-but-unspent projects; staff reported about $3,000,000 available in CIP funds.
In other financial items, staff said they submitted the county's ARPA compliance report within the federal window (reporting submitted April 2). The county has closed out its ARPA allocations internally and will complete the auditor's compliance review during the routine audit process.
Staff also reviewed payroll and departmental variance notes, explaining that payroll comparisons use pay periods (26 per year) rather than calendar months. A small number of departments showed higher-than-expected payroll percentages largely because of a workers' compensation payment due early in the year; staff said the payment and small headcounts explained the variance and flagged no ongoing concern.
Sales tax collections were specifically updated. Finance staff corrected an earlier report and said the county general sales tax is at 33.15% of budget and the hospital-dedicated sales tax is at 26.35% of its budget at 25% of the fiscal year. After adjustments, the county was roughly $43,000 ahead on the county side and $23,000 ahead on the hospital-dedicated tax compared with the same point in the prior year. Staff reminded commissioners the hospital-dedicated tax was budgeted with a planned 2.0'.5% annual increase built into long-term assumptions; staff said the levy would not be adjusted immediately because reserves were available to smooth shortfalls.
The treasurer's office's recent internal allocation changes were noted as an operational matter; staff told the commission an adjustment had been made in distributions to ensure smaller taxing entities did not run short before the last distribution of the year. Staff indicated that was a timing/administrative strategy and that the practice may or may not continue going forward.
No formal changes to tax levies or budgets were proposed during the briefing. Staff said they will return with any matters that require formal action as they arise.
