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Warren County auditor outlines fiscal health, warns of heroin epidemic and jail capacity
Summary
Warren County Auditor Matt Nolan told the Franklin City Council that county finances are the strongest in a decade, citing an AAA bond rating and long-running award recognition, but he warned a continuing heroin epidemic has increased Children Services costs and left the county jail full, with plans to borrow for a new facility.
Warren County Auditor Matt Nolan presented his office’s first Annual Report to the Franklin City Council on Sept. 18, saying county finances are at their best in a decade and that the county retains a AAA bond rating and a long-running Auditor’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence.
Nolan told council the county’s fiscal picture has improved since 2005, with 2016 the second-best year on record and 2017 “looking good.” He said residential property values are rising while industrial property growth remains flat, and that the county updates property valuations every three years with a review due next year. Nolan also flagged operational concerns tied to the region’s drug problem: Children Services’ budget has increased and the county jail is full; he said the county plans to borrow money for a new jail.
Nolan noted a decline in dog-tag revenues and warned of payment-fraud risks at fuel pumps, referencing skimmers, and thanked city staff for the opportunity to present. The auditor’s review, he said, shows positive long-term trends but also a need to address public-safety and social-service pressures related to opioid abuse.
The presentation was informational; council members thanked Nolan and moved to other agenda business.
