Putnam County audit committee forwards year-end budget moves, accepts grants for 911 and homeland security

Putnam County’s Audit & Administration Committee on Dec. 19 reviewed year-end revenue reports and moved a package of budget amendments and grant acceptances to the full county board, while signing several smaller transfers at the committee level.

Chairman Castellano opened the meeting and led a run-through of routine correspondence, reporting that the county had met its annual sales-tax target and that December receipts were still pending. He presented monthly revenue and contingency reports and called the items FYIs.

The committee approved forwarding a series of budget amendments for sheriff-related overtime and insurance recoveries. A $62,769.89 amendment to cover sheriff overtime was moved to the full board. Separately, a $5,617.16 DPW insurance-recovery amendment to cover guardrail repairs on Crane Road was advanced; Chairman Castellano praised county staff "and our officers there, Matt Bruno, especially, always on top of these issues with the insurance companies." The committee also forwarded a $12,735.19 insurance-recovery amendment for sheriff vehicle repairs.

The committee approved forwarding a $150,000 amendment authorizing the sheriff’s department to use federally seized/forfeiture assets for firearm-related equipment; Chairman Castellano described the item as incoming federal…