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Santa Rosa County staff outline blended plan to close $3.96M budget gap; balanced proposal due July 9
Summary
County staff proposed a blended approach — additional spending cuts, moving operating lines into the law‑enforcement MSTU and banking expected sheriff grant revenues — that reduces a $3.964M general‑fund shortfall to roughly $500K and will return with a balanced budget on July 9.
Santa Rosa County officials presented a strategy on June 29 to close a $3.964 million shortfall in the proposed $156.1 million general‑fund budget, recommending a mix of spending reductions, revenue shifts and temporary use of grant reimbursements.
Sabrina, the county budget presenter, told the Board that the general fund and the law‑enforcement MSTU were the two unbalanced funds and that the county faces a structural gap without action. "We need $3,964,000 to balance the budget," she said, citing fund‑balance projections that would leave the county below a $25 million disaster and stabilization target.
Brad, budget staff, proposed three scenarios: deeper department cuts, drawing on parts of the disaster fund, or increasing fees/millage. He recommended a blended approach to avoid depleting reserves, including shifting about $800,000 of sheriff operating costs into the MSTU, recovering projected grant reimbursements from the sheriff's office, and identifying additional nonessential cuts.
Chief Deputy Tift (Sheriff's Office) told the board his office could return roughly $2.4 million tied to ad valorem revenue increases and expected federal/state grants. He cautioned that some grants are reimbursable and not guaranteed upfront: "We have to spend the money first and then get the money back," he said, describing timing risks.
County staff reported that the combined steps would cut the shortfall from $3.964 million to about $500,000 and pledged to return with a balanced budget package on July 9. The package will include the recommended operating shifts, identified savings and options to delay or re‑time capital projects. Administrator Brad said: "July 9, we'll bring you a balanced budget back and the steps to take to get there."
