Health department projects modest shortfall, asks commissioners to backfill WIC and weigh transfers

Summary

Davis County health department officials told the Budget Committee the department faces a roughly $500,000 gap for 2025 driven by waning federal grants, asked the committee to consider a temporary backfill for a $160,000 WIC administrative shortfall, and described a recent $4,000,000 transfer from operating fund 15 to capital fund 46.

The Davis County health department told the Budget Committee on Oct. 2 that it expects to end 2024 with a healthy fund balance but faces a structural shortfall next year that may require dipping into reserves.

Brian Hatch of the health department said projected revenues for 2025 total just over $21 million — roughly $12 million from health programs, nearly $3 million in senior services and about $6.0 million in property tax — while proposed expenditures are about $21.09 million. "In the 9 years I've been doing this budget, it's the first time I have not been able to balance my budget with just my revenues coming in," Hatch said.

Hatch and staff emphasized that the department's funding mix is volatile: "Approximately 25% of the budget comes from the county," he said, while the rest relies on fees, state contracts and federal grants that are phasing down as COVID-era funding ends. To date the department has used federal…

Health department projects modest shortfall, asks commissioners to backfill WIC and weigh transfers

Summary

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