Commissioners approve $35.6 million '13 budget

Lincoln County Commissioners on Wednesday unanimously approved a $35.6 million budget for 2012-’13 that changes mostly mirrors the one that preceded it.

Explaining the $808,386 greater difference in the 2012-’13 tally (2.3 percent) over the previous year, Lincoln County Clerk Tammy Lauer said officials sought to replenish cash reserves, which have been trending downward in recent years. 

Last year’s budget included reserves of $1.24 million. The budget Commissioners approved Wednesday included reserves of $1.97 million or about $730,000.

Lauer also explained the string of high-profile, expensive pending court cases involving Kristina Welch, who is accused of shooting and killing her husband, Louis Bonifas, who was declared unfit for trial after shooting his daughter and Gloria Sprinkle, who surrendered to police after a 19-hour standoff with SWAT team members.and other cases has weighed heavily on the county’s budget.

“Those three cases and about five or six others,” Lauer said Wednesday. “We have to pay for all the psychological costs for thos.”

Lauer also included cost-of-living raises for county workers, which totaled $165,000 figured into that increase.

Here are the funds, and the total resources for them:

General Fund, $6.01 million; Noxious Weeds, $62,290; Fair, $68,139; Airport, $62,492; District Court, $610,641; Libby Park, $86,470;  Libby Park Arena, $2,608; Troy Park, $45,853; Eureka Park, $52,313; Library, $448,618; Ambulance, $373,069; Planning, $177,508; Board of Health, $47,317; Senior Citizens, $71,849; Seniors Transport, $51,147; Extension, $52,361; Public Safety, $4.3 million; Search & Rescue, $52,468, and Insurance, $1.97 million.