Ohio County council approves year-end encumbrances and multiple appropriations

Ohio County councilors voted unanimously to approve a package of year‑end encumbrances and multiple appropriations during the meeting.

Council members approved requests to encumber unspent budget lines so payments for jury‑software licensing, ticketing deposits and equipment repairs can be paid when systems become operational. A staff presenter said the office had about $97,000 in unspent funds that could be carried forward to cover licensing and internet installation costs for the jury system.

The council also moved several line items: an office‑supplies appropriation of $963.47, a Fund 12 appropriation of $39,076 and a Fund 11.68 appropriation of about $48,004.67. Councilors approved a $40,000 transfer from the general fund into the sheriff’s gas‑and‑oil account to cover operating costs.

Members discussed the accounting practice of encumbering expenses from one year into the next and referenced guidance from the Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF). One councilor said some encumbrances simply “rotate” into the following year and that pulling funds forward can reduce the risk of running short late in the year.

Capital and facilities items were included in the approvals: the council encumbered funds for a planned bridge/pipe project (the presenter described a $270,000 figure for that work) and authorized riverboat‑fund carryovers for courthouse projects including parking‑lot work, flooring and window repairs. Several presenters noted that some vendor invoices were prepared but not yet paid.

All motions on the appropriations and encumbrances were made, seconded and carried by voice vote with no roll‑call recorded in the transcript.

Next procedural steps: staff will process the encumbrances and return any required documentation to the auditor’s office; the council also agreed to revisit tax‑structure changes and their budget implications at a future meeting.