Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the County Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Prairie County commissioners review budgets, plan fund transfer and increase hospital support for ambulance manager
Summary
At a July 9, 2025 meeting, Prairie County commissioners reviewed departmental budgets, agreed to transfer operating funds from Account 2992 to the general fund, noted a $190,000 gap in 911 funding, and agreed to boost county support for the ambulance manager’s salary from $6,000 to $12,000.
Prairie County commissioners met July 9, 2025, in Terry to review a raft of departmental budget requests and to set several funding directions ahead of final budget adoption. Commissioner Dennis Teske started the meeting; Commissioners Keltner and Todd Devlin were present (Keltner arrived at 8:30 a.m.; Devlin at 9:00 a.m.).
Sheriff Keifer Lewis told the board the 911 Board’s address-validation work is about 90% complete and that the board expects roughly $360,000 in revenue against about $550,000 in expenses, leaving a shortfall commissioners must address. Lewis also noted that emergency sirens are funded through DES (Disaster and Emergency Services), not the 911 budget, and that MACo’s IT department can supply discounted computer systems.
The meeting moved into departmental budget presentations. Officials and department heads reviewed requests from the Treasurer’s office, Road Department, DES, Library, Justice of the Peace, Clerk & Recorder, Cemetery, Senior Center, District Court Clerk, Ambulance service and the Hospital. Commissioners discussed revenue lines related to mineral royalties, oil and gas receipts, LATCF, mosquito control and predator control when assessing departmental needs.
County staff reported that operating funds held in Account 2992 will be transferred into the general fund; after the transfer Account 2992 will show a $0 balance. The county attorney’s office indicated it will need an additional $60,000 in the budget to cover witness travel and trial expenses, citing account codes 215.410324.373 and .394 and trial-related charges from Account .299. The transcript does not record a roll-call vote for these allocations.
Regarding ambulance funding, county staff reported the ambulance budget will draw on all six voted mills this budget cycle. Commissioners agreed to increase the county’s direct contribution to the hospital by $12,000 to support the Ambulance Manager’s salary; the contribution had previously been $6,000. The record available does not include a formal vote tally for that agreement.
County Treasurer Garrett Lapp and Clerk & Recorder Shari Robertson said they will review HB 124 (State Entitlement Disbursements) and present findings to the commission at a later meeting.
The meeting materials include a signature block dated July 16, 2025, attesting to Commissioner Todd Devlin and Clerk & Recorder Shari Robertson; the minutes state the substantive meeting occurred July 9, 2025. The transcript does not include detailed voting records or formal motions tied to the specific dollar amounts presented; staff indicated follow-up actions and further presentations to commissioners are forthcoming.
