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Rutherford County DSS reports early fiscal-year overages, highlights special adoptions deposit
Summary
Finance staff told the board administrative spending is 10.8% for the month (target 8.33%), program lines show a net negative due to revenue timing, and a special children’s adoptions deposit exceeded $100,000. Staff said they will continue monitoring through the year.
Rutherford County Department of Social Services finance staff presented a brief financial update covering the first month of the 2025–26 fiscal year, reporting some expected timing variances and a sizable one‑time deposit to a special adoptions fund.
The board heard that administrative contributions from the general fund are at about 10.8% for the first month, above the targeted 8.33% monthly rate. "This is the first month of the new fiscal year, and we pay a lot of those invoices upfront," the finance presenter told the board, explaining that annual invoices for workers' compensation, insurance and dues were already paid and are pushing the administrative line over budget for the month.
At the same time, program contributions showed a negative 3.15% for the month — a bookkeeping outcome staff said occurs when revenue receipts exceed disbursements. The presenter noted a deposit credited to a special children's adoptions fund exceeded $100,000, which is currently improving the program-side position for the month.
Staff walked through TANF Emergency Assistance (EA) and said disaster rental funds have been exhausted; TANF EA is reimbursable when the county has the federal/state TANF funds available. On foster care spending, staff reported several lines showing early-month overages and explained typical state reimbursement rates can vary; staff noted some foster-care reimbursements are about 85% while county liability in other lines can be roughly 15%.
Board members asked about overtime accounting and whether the county should add a discrete overtime line; staff said they can create a separate line that would show actual overtime or continue to allocate overtime from regular salary lines. No budget adjustments were adopted at the meeting.
Staff said they will monitor the figures as the year progresses and bring further detail if the board wants a separate overtime line to improve transparency.
