Commissioners to consider balanced 2016 budget
A balanced budget that does not call for a tax increase will be presented to the Fayette County commissioners when they meet in regular session Dec. 15.
While the exact spending figures were not available Tuesday, the officials agreed to place the passage of the 2016 fiscal plan on the agenda.
Following the agenda-setting meeting, Sam Lynch, county financial consultant through Susquehanna Group Advisors Inc. of Harrisburg, said that he continues to refine the numbers as additional information becomes available.
Pointing to the likely hiring of several new employees at next week’s meeting, Lynch said that those figures will have an impact on the budget.
“Everything will be ready (Dec. 14),” he said, adding that his tenure will expire the following day. “It will be a balanced budget with no tax increase.”
Last month, the county received a preliminary budget that indicated a $2.4 million deficit.
The proposed budget listed $30.74 million in revenues and $33.16 million in expenditures.
A balanced spending plan must be filed with the state Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) by Dec. 31.
In majority action on Tuesday, the commissioners agreed to consider securing a $7 million tax and revenue anticipation note (TRAN) to cover county expenses through the first quarter of 2016.
The vote was additionally split to consider the agenda item to hire Susquehanna Accounting and Consulting Solutions Inc. of Harrisburg, as financial consultants for the TRAN and the law firm of Dinsmore and Shohl of Pittsburgh to serve as bond counsel for the process.
Susquehanna offered a cost of $5,000 for its services while Dinsmore and Shohl offered a cost of between $6,000 to $8,000 to serve as bond counsel.
Commissioners Al Ambrosini and Vince Zapotosky voted in favor of adding the items to the agenda while Commissioner Angela M. Zimmerlink cast the lone no vote in the budget-related issues.
Zimmerlink did not offer any comment during the meeting as to her lack of support for the offers by the two firms.
In other matters, the commission is also poised to take action in the following matters at the Dec. 15 meeting:
n Extend the contract with PrimeCare, the prison’s medical services provider, for an additional four months to allow for proposals for a new contract are evaluated.
n Ratify the $844,768 payment to Motorola through Act 13 funds.
n Amend the county hotel tax grant program memorandum of understanding to include for-profit entities that are tied to county tourism. The amendment will require the business to match each dollar awarded and stipulate its expenditure for only marketing purposes.
n Consider a proposal by Ford Enterprises to provide information technology services to the county.
n Schedule a public meeting to garner input concerning the formation of a county sports exhibition/tourism authority.