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County financial report: first-quarter trends show tax collections on track; jail medical and vehicle maintenance flagged
Summary
Finance director presented first-quarter numbers through Dec. 31. Property taxes and state-shared revenues are on track; some department line items (jail medical and vehicle/equipment maintenance) are trending high and were flagged for monitoring. Commissioners noted a $400,000 shortfall in jail medical funding at the start of the fiscal year.
Kyle Westerman, Kootenai County finance staff, presented the county's first-quarter financial report covering activity through Dec. 31.
Westerman told commissioners property-tax revenues were trending as expected, with about 52% of property taxes reflected in the packet as of Dec. 31. State-shared revenue and state sales-tax receipts were shown at about 25.5% and 25.7% of budget, respectively, which Westerman said aligns with the county's timing expectations; those state receipts typically arrive in February. He noted the county's investment portfolio was showing unrealized losses at the time of the report, which will be netted at year-end.
On the report's hot sheet, Westerman flagged several items that exceeded the board's 32% quarterly threshold for concern. He said the airport had an unbudgeted expense that had since been covered by a board-approved budget adjustment. He highlighted the sheriff's vehicle- and equipment-maintenance lines and jail operations as items to monitor: jail medical had reached about 48% of its annual budget in the first quarter and is trending higher than expected.
A commissioner noted the jail medical line began the fiscal year (Oct. 1) with an estimated $400,000 funding shortfall; Westerman and commissioners identified that as an item requiring ongoing attention. Westerman said the quarterly hot-sheet flags reflect timing and that anything above 32% after the first quarter triggers monitoring.
No budgetary actions were taken at the meeting; Westerman said he would continue to monitor spending and report back to the board.
