Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the County Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Clermont County presents 2025 draft appropriation with $1.67M preliminary surplus; sheriff salaries drive large increases
Summary
OMB Director Emily Akers presented the county's 2025 draft appropriation, forecasting a general-fund estimate that includes a $1.67 million preliminary surplus, large increases for criminal-justice spending (notably the sheriff), and ARPA funds earmarked for broadband; the board approved two supplemental appropriations related to ARPA/COVID close-out and fleet maintenance.
The Clermont County Office of Management and Budget presented the county's 2025 draft appropriation at the Nov. 20 commissioners meeting, laying out revenue and expense estimates and highlighting budget risks tied to criminal-justice spending and capital needs.
Emily Akers told the board the county tracks 105 funds and will focus primarily on the general fund for discretionary operations. She said the county's property-tax collections reflect a 28% increase tied to the triennial update and are responsible for roughly $2.7 million of the year-over-year increase in projected revenue. Sales-tax growth has slowed from earlier pandemic-era gains, and the OMB is budgeting conservatively for 2025.
On the expense side, Akers said general-fund operating expense in the 2025 draft shows a 29% rise since 2022. She attributed the largest single increase to the sheriff’s office—approximately a $3 million increase largely driven by bargaining-unit salary and fringe increases adopted in April. Akers also said about 75% of general-fund expenses are salary-related and that judicial/criminal-justice functions comprise roughly two-thirds of the general fund.
Akers reported the county expects to have roughly $1,670,000 in available discretionary funds in the draft; the estimated 2025 year-end fund balance stands at approximately $48.2 million, and the county policy target reserve is 35% (about $29.37 million), leaving an estimated $18.8 million in unrestricted balance before salary actions or new capital commitments.
On non-operating funds, Akers noted an ARPA balance and other pandemic-related funds. She said $4.5 million remained as an unobligated ARPA balance earmarked for broadband expansion and must be obligated by the end of 2026. The presentation also reviewed capital projects (including Filigree campus phases and juvenile-facility work) and the county's facilities master plan kickoff, which will include building inspections and system evaluations through December and user interviews in January.
Board action: The commissioners approved two supplemental appropriations to the annual appropriation resolution: (1) $1,759,746.01 for COVID-recovery/other expenses (to finalize ARPA-year purchase orders) and (2) $20,000 for general-fund fleet maintenance fuel. Both were moved, seconded and adopted by roll call.
Next steps: Staff will return with a more detailed presentation on Dec. 2 and expect to bring the appropriation for possible adoption on Dec. 11, 2024. The facilities master-plan deliverable is expected to be preliminary by year-end with a formal report mid-2025.
