Putnam officials present $16.9 million in requests for fiscal year

Putnam County elected officials have presented $16.9 million inrequests for the fiscal year that begins July 1, the countyadministrator said.

The requests were about $800,000 more than the current fiscalyear, Brian Donat said Tuesday.

But unlike previous years, Donat presented no estimate ofrevenues for the upcoming fiscal year. Instead, that figure will bedetermined using projected tax revenues at a work session with thecommissioners scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Saturday.

And commissioners declined to make a decision on a $5,000 requestfrom the current budget until after their work session.

Linda Bush, commission representative on the Gateway HeritageArea, asked for the money toward supervision and materials for nineor 10 AmericCorps volunteers arriving this week for seven weeks towork on projects in Buffalo, Hurricane, Hometown, and Winfield.

Looking at the list commissioner Gary Tillis said, "That's morethan I would expect for a return on $5,000."

Commissioner Joe Haynes agreed. "They are all good projects, butI'd feel more comfortable after looking at the budget."

The commission likely will make a formal decision at theirmeeting next Tuesday.

At that meeting they also expect to sign a letter to the stateexpressing their disappointment in being excluded from any fundingfrom the state's share of the federal stimulus package for roads.

"They pitched it as job creating," Tillis said.

Putnam County ranks with the Eastern Panhandle and Monongahelacounties for economic growth potential, officials said.

"I hope we are given due consideration for (other) infrastructurefunds." The county still has rural areas without public water orsewer service.

Following the request from Gateway Heritage, which also seeks$12,500 for the upcoming fiscal year, a parade of officials fromcounty agencies and offices presented their proposals for the nextbudget cycle.

Those included $2.6 million for law enforcement, up from $2.4million requested last year; $853,000 for the prosecutor's office,up $1,000; $733,236 for the clerk's records and election offices, a$32,300 decrease.

The budget work session Saturday is open to the public,Commissioner Joe Haynes reminded public officials. Last year acouple of county officials complained they were not aware they couldattend the session to defend their spending requests.

In other business, the commission on Tuesday:

nWon praise in an audit exit review by Mary Ann Claytor of thestate auditor's office, who has been conducting the audit for anumber of years and commended county staff for their good accountingpractices. A problem with accurately computing base values for taxincrement funding projects has occurred in all counties, but is notsubstantial and is being addressed by the software programmers, theaudit found.

* Was informed that bids for the Jim/Bee Ridge water lineextension project, opened while commissioners conducted budgethearings, attracted what Donat called "really good bids." RoverConstruction of St. Albans submitted the lowest of eight bids forthe water lines, at $802,699.

MidAtlantic of Ohio was the lowest of three bids for a watertank.

Donat anticipates that work may begin by early April to extendwater service to about 50 families.